Energy Unplugged by Aurora

On this week’s Energy Unplugged episode, the discussion revolves around Japan’s energy markets. We welcome Naoaki “Nick” Eguchi, Partner at Baker McKenzie and and Co-head of the firm's Renewable and Clean Energy Group in Tokyo, in conversation with our Head of Advisory in Japan, Hayato Ono, and our Managing Director in APAC and California, Hugo Batten. Nick focuses his practice on project finance and renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric) and has worked on a lot of the major transactions that have occurred in Japan, as well as authoring a lot of academic articles, most recently as a co-author of the “Offshore Wind Finance Guide Book”. Main topics include: • Changes in Japan’s energy market related to market design & policy, generation mix and various players • Technologies and investment cases, including batteries, offshore wind and hydrogen • Market dynamics and successful business models Support the show

In this Energy Unplugged episode we look at the big picture scenarios for the decarbonisation of the global economy. We’re delighted to be joined by Eirik Wærness, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at Equinor, and Anise Ganbold, our Head of Research, Global Energy Markets and Hydrogen, in a conversation with our Global Research Director, Richard Howard. Joining Equinor in 2003 under it’s previous name Statoil, Eirik leads the group’s energy market policy and macroeconomics analysis, and in his role, he has been responsible for no less than 12 editions of the group’s Energy Perspectives scenario analysis. Main topics include: • What is required to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees? • Steps that both the energy system and economy need to take in order to hit this target • How to effectively utilise scenario analysis to tackle the above? Support the show

In this episode, we focus on Net Zero Australia, Net-Zero America, and the differences between the two countries. We’re delighted to be joined today by two guests: Chris Greig, Senior Research Scientist in the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University, and Richard Bolt, Principal at Nous Group and Chair of Hydro Tasmania, in a conversation with Hugo Batten, our Managing Director for APAC & California, Julia Hoos, our Head of USA East, and James Ha, our Research Lead for Australia. Both of our guests have had illustrious careers spanning public and private sectors, but what’s brought them here today is their recent collaboration on an ambitious modelling project called Net Zero Australia, which offers granular insights into what it will take to decarbonise the economy by 2050, and builds on the Net-Zero America report published in 2021. Main topics include: • The main findings of the two reports including the consistent themes that have been seen in the models for both countries • The use of models, and what are some of the reservations to relying on them looking forward • Investment opportunities and the Public Sector’s role in the decarbonisation process to achieve net zero • Comparisons between Australia and the US given the above context, and the role and potential of the various energy resources Support the show

On this week’s Energy Unplugged episode, we welcome Luis Pita, General Manager, Brazil, Atlas Renewable Energy, in a conversation with our Founder & CEO, John Feddersen, that focuses on the current situation and future plans for the energy market in Brazil. Before joining Atlas Renewable Energy, Luis worked at SunEdison (now Fenice Energy) for four years as GM for Brazil. Prior to that time, Luis accumulated over 20 years experience in executive roles across multiple continents, mainly in logistics, media production and retail. Luis was one of the founders of Brazil’s Solar Energy Association, and has been a Board Member since its inception. Main topics include: • Hydro driven prices and investing in renewables in Brazil • Brazil’s network building – situation and challenges for investors and developers in the context of transmission auctions • Brazil’s shift to the free market: what does it mean for consumers, investors and developers? • The green transition plan in Brazil Support the show

This episode of Energy Unplugged is fourth in a series on global project finance, organised in partnership with SMBC Group. Covering Europe, Australia, Asia, and the US, this series hosts guests from SMBC Group, various law firms, and Aurora energy experts. Focusing on project finance in the US, we’re delighted to welcome Carl Morales, Managing Director and Group Head for the North American Power Project Finance Group at SMBC Group, Ron Erlichman, Partner and Co-Head of Energy & Infrastructure in the Americas, New York at Linklaters, and our Head of North America, Oliver Kerr, in conversation with our Head of USA East, Julia Hoos. Main topics include the following: · An overall look at the project finance space across the US during the last year · The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), tax equity system, and how they impact the individual attractiveness of the US markets · Risks, including financial, merchant, technological, and policy, that lenders may face · The future of hydrogen technologies in the US Support the show

On this week’s Energy Unplugged episode, we deep dive in the importance of energy networks for investment decisions and the operation of the system to build Net Zero power systems. We’re happy to welcome our colleagues Alexandra Houston, Senior Associate and Ashutosh Padelkar, Research Associate in a conversation with our Managing Director for UK & Ireland, Dan Monzani.  Alexandra is a Senior Associate in our GB Advisory team, where she has led a variety of work related to networks including for battery developers, long duration storage, renewables and locational marginal pricing. Ashutosh leads our Renewables service for the GB market and is also responsible for our Subscription Analytics offerings for corporate PPAs in GB and analysis of proposed policy and regulatory changes. Main topics include the following: • How Aurora expects networks and congestion to evolve in GB and what does this evolution mean for investment cases • The role of hydrogen and how it might interact with the various constrains of the network  • What kinds of analysis and tools Aurora offers on this topic Support the show

Hitomi Komachi, a partner at Allen & Overy Tokyo, discusses Japan's Green Transformation Act, focusing on incentivizing technologies like hydrogen and ammonia. A comparison is made between Japan's act and the US' Inflation Reduction Act. The 'Supply Chain Subsidy' for hydrogen and ammonia producers is highlighted, offering valuable insights into the energy transition field.

This week, on Energy Unplugged, we have a special episode featuring Aurora experts in a discussion about what energy markets are hot in Europe right now and why.  Our Research Lead for European Power Markets Ryan Alexander is joined by Anuoluwa Omojola, Flexibility Lead and Rebecca McManus, Renewables Lead in the same team.  Main topics include: •The most exciting markets for renewables and battery investment in Europe  •The European Commission’s current power market reform  •European Commission’s accelerated permitting rules and which markets are most ahead of the game in implementing those •Which markets are most proactive in terms of encouraging co-location and why Support the show

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