Hello, dear listeners! This is just a short update to let you all know that our podcast will be taking a brief winter hiatus. I am diving into some other research projects and will need a few weeks to focus. But fear not, I'll be back in just a few weeks! In the meantime, consider joining the Green Energy Shifters network meeting on March 11th. This event is part of the NTNU Energy Transition Week - a week filled with conferences and workshops dedicated to the energy transition. The main event is the NTNU Energy Transition Conference, which is a free and open place to learn, network, and contribute to the critical dialogue around sustainable energy solutions. Consider joining us there! Keep warm and stay tuned for when I return. Thank you for your continued support, and remember to mark your calendars for March 11th!

During the Oslo Innovation Week at the end of September, I interviewed Israeli entrepreneur and investor, Eshel Lipman, founder of Ignite the Spark - a community that promotes EnergyTech in Israel. In this episode, Lipman shares insights into his journey from engineering in Australia to founding an energy tech startup, and the intricacies of Israel's energy landscape. We talk about the shift from coal to natural gas and the country's renewable energy goals. Despite abundant sunshine, Israel faces challenges in expanding solar energy due to grid congestion and geographical constraints. Lipman also touches on Israel's electric vehicle market, noting the slow adoption rate and the need for better public transportation infrastructure. The episode concludes with a discussion on the future of Israel's energy transition. Lipman underscores the necessity of regulatory and grid reforms to accelerate the deployment of solar and energy storage solutions. He envisions Israel as a burgeoning source of energy tech innovation, attracting global attention and investment, and contributing significantly to the global energy transition.

In today's episode, we discuss the emerging field of agrophotovoltaics (agri-PV) with Marta Victoria, an associate professor specializing in solar photovoltaics and energy systems modeling at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. We learn about the basic concept of agro-PV, combining agriculture and solar panels on farmland, and discuss its benefits, geographical viability, challenges, and the use of different crops. Marta explains various installation methods—horizontal and vertical setups—and addresses concerns regarding material consumption, reduced solar panel yield due to crop shadows, and potential collaborations with irrigation systems to optimize water usage. The ongoing HyPErFarm Project aims to create real installations in Germany, Belgium, and Denmark to study and implement agro-PV systems, focusing on crop-solar panel interactions, irrigation integration, and overall efficiency.

Ewan Dunlop leads the European Solar Test installation at the Joint Research Centre (JRC). As we will cover in the episode, JRC's work is significant in the standardization and calibration of solar PV technologies, which ensures accurate measurements, reliability, and trustworthy information for consumers. In this episode, Dunlops explains the history of solar PV testing, emphasizing its evolution from early applications in the 70s to current silicon-based module dominance. He highlights the crucial role of standardized testing methods in guaranteeing product quality and market confidence.

In this podcast episode, we explore the concept of just transitions in the context of energy transition. The episode features a conversation with Dr. Kirsten Jenkins, a senior lecturer in Energy, Environment, and Society at Edinburgh University, discussing the challenges and complexities of achieving a fair and equitable energy transition. We delve into four key principles or tenets: distributional justice, recognition of affected communities and individuals, responsibility for addressing injustices, and procedural justice, which involves evaluating the processes in place to address these issues. The conversation highlights real-life examples, such as the impact of cobalt mining, building on grazing lands used by Sami reindeer herders, challenges faced by oil and gas workers, and issues related to the implementation of renewable energy technologies. The episode emphasizes the importance of acknowledging historical injustices, considering the cultural identities of affected communities, and ensuring that the energy transition benefits everyone, leaving no one behind.

In today’s episode: The complex decision-making process behind the energy infrastructure at Norway's Melkøya LNG plant. The plant, located in the Snøhvit field in the northernmost region of Norway, lacks a pipeline to transport gas to Europe. Therefore, the gas must be liquefied, a highly energy-intensive process. There have been plans to decarbonize the liquefaction process through carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. However, recently the government has shifted towards electrification, raising questions about the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of CCS. Our guest this week is Eivind Berstad, a chemical engineer and team leader for CCS in the environmental NGO Bellona - an organization working towards finding climate solutions, emphasizing the importance of industry cooperation and research funding. Together, we delve into the Melkøya plant's history, operational challenges, the reasons behind considering electrification over carbon capture, and the lack of transparency in the decision-making process. We consider factors like rising emission costs and the future outlook of carbon reduction initiatives. The episode highlights the urgency in finding economically viable solutions to curb emissions and achieve climate goals, underscoring the intricate balance between environmental responsibility and economic viability. Mentioned in this episode: Eivind on the Mimir & Marsdal podcast.

Carl Christian Strømberg, is founder and CEO of Solcellespesialisten, Norway's largest solar PV installer. Carl shares his journey from graduating with an electronics degree from NTNU in 2005 to becoming the CEO of a leading solar company in Norway. He talks openly about the challenges of starting a solar business in a market where solar installations were virtually nonexistent, and his plans for the future. Over the years, Solcellespesialisten has snowballed, doubling its workforce and expanding its operations several times. Carl explains how the company focuses on quality and close relationships with customers to achieve this growth. When listening to this episode you will also learn about the status quo of the Norwegian solar energy ecosystem and how Carl and Solcellerspecialisten aim to shape it in the future as the energy transition progresses. --- The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast is a project by the NTNU Energy Transition Initiative designed to share energy-related knowledge and, thereby, help accelerate the deep decarbonization of our society as swiftly as possible. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to this podcast and give it a five-star rating on the app of your choice. Thanks a lot and looking forward to have you back in two weeks. If you want to send me feedback or suggest other podcast guests please reach out via Linkedin, or write me an email to julius.wesche@ntnu.no.

In this episode, I interview the Executive Vice President for Sustainability at SINTEF, Nils Røkke, in front of a live audience during NTNU's Hyfer festival. The conversation, initially meant to focus on Norway's looming power deficit, also encompasses other aspects of Norway's energy transition and the challenges it faces Røkke explains that Norway is one of the most electrified countries globally, but that it still relies on fossil fuels in some sectors. He touches on the trade-offs involved in the transition, such as social acceptance of renewable energy projects and the balance between affordability, competitiveness, and sustainability. Røkke emphasizes the importance of developing renewables, energy efficiency, and offshore wind power to meet the growing energy demand while reducing carbon emissions. He also mentions the role of hydropower and the need for more investments in the energy sector to achieve decarbonization goals. After our talk, we invited the audience to challenge Nils with some questions of their own.

In this episode, we cover three recent news related to energy transition. First, I discuss the electrification of Melkøya, an energy island off the coast of Hammerfest in Norway. Next, about Germany's decision to phase out fossil heating systems, which contribute significantly to the nation's CO2 emissions, and will likely reduce the demand for gas from Norway. And finally, an update on electric vehicle registrations in Norway, where more than 83% of new passenger cars registered in August 2023 were electric. This episode was a bit make-shift, as the planned guest had to cancel. But stay tuned for upcoming episodes: Next we're interviewing Carl Christian Strømberg, Founder/CEO of Solcellespesialisten, Norway's largest solar installer. Plus, don't miss the live episode recording on September 22nd and a Green Energy Shifters networking event on September 28th in Oslo as part of Oslo Innovation Week.

Nicola Paltrinieri is a Professor of Risk Assessment at the NTNU Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and leads the NTNU Team Hydrogen. He joins us to discuss the complexities of hydrogen safety and its role in the energy transition. The conversation starts off by bringing up an earlier podcast episode. In episode 44, Professor Robert Warren Howarth, co-author of the controversial paper "How Green is Blue Hydrogen?" was a guest. Professor Paltrinieri was part of a comment team that aimed to provide a more balanced view of that paper, and helps us understand the nuances of the debate surrounding the paper, emphasizing the importance of data accuracy, context, and diversification in investment. Following the blue hydrogen discussion, the conversation shifts to hydrogen safety. Professor Paltrinieri explores the complexity of hydrogen safety, emphasizing that it involves multiple factors beyond just combustion and explosion risks. He addresses the challenges of working with an emerging technology where operational experience is limited, leading to uncertainties in statistical analysis. Additionally, he discusses the interaction between human factors and technology, and the need for effective inspection and maintenance strategies. Also, check out research centers HYDROGENi, HyValue, and the Norwegian research school on hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels, HySchool.