Plugged In: the energy news podcast

It's been a busy first year for the EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen. The Iberian blackout, grid congestion, curtailment of renewable energy and a record number of negative prices. How does he plan to tackle some of these issues in 2026?In this episode, Richard sits down with the EU´s top energy official in the heart of the European Commission to discuss the details of his grids package released earlier this week, his stance on the future of Russian gas supplies, and how he is trying to work with member states who oppose the ban.  Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Fatima Sadouki - Brussel's Reporter, Montel NewsGuest: Dan Jorgensen - European Commissioner for EnergyEditor: Oscar BirkProducer: Sarah Knowles

The global LNG market has been tight since 2022, with prices remaining around USD 10/MMbtu (about EUR 30/MWh).  However, with the one-year countdown to the complete phase-out of Russian gas starting next month, and a new wave of LNG capacity from the US and Qatar expected to come online from next year - could prices drop as low as USD 7/MMbtu?  In this episode, Richard sits down with LNG analysts and geopolitical experts to discuss how Asia could see a strong demand rebound in the next few years, why Germany's declining industrial gas consumption puts downward pressure on long-term demand into Europe. But there is a note of caution as structural challenges in the US LNG construction industry are likely to  cause supply delays.  Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Laurence Walker - Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests: Henning Gloystein - Managing Director of Energy and Resources, Eurasia Group. Saul Kavonic - Head of Energy Research, MST Financial.Editor: Oscar BirkProducer: Sarah Knowles

Has the flagship climate conference of the parties (COP) lost its touch? One week after the closing of the annual COP conference,  we  examine the deals - or non-deals - that  came out of the two weeks of negotiations, and why the EU failed in its negotiations to deliver a  plan for the global transitioning away from fossil-fuels. Richard speaks to Lord Adair Turner about the pressure from petro-states on negotiations, the unusual alliances with developed countries, and why expectations surrounding COP's effectiveness as a mechanism for change are dwindling. Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Cem Bektas - Carbon Reporter, Montel NewsGuest: Lord Adair Turner - Chairman, Energy Transitions CommissionEditor: Oscar BirkProducer: Sarah Knowles

Germany boasts the biggest economy in Europe. Yet energy-intensive industries in the country are struggling with high energy costs versus their global competitors. The German government has said it will aim to lower the cost of power to EUR 50/MWh - far below current wholesale prices - from 1 January 2026 with the launch of its new industry power price.What are the implications for German companies, larger firms as well as the smaller and medium sized companies that are the engines of the country’s economy?In this episode, Richard speaks to Dr. Claudia Kemfert about the current sentiment towards the  coalition government. In  addition, what doed its plans to tender 10GW of predominantly gas-fired power plants says about Germany's commitment to the green energy transition?Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Christian Driessen - Germany Editor, Montel NewsGuest: Dr. Claudia Kemfert - Professor of Energy Economics and Energy Policy at Leuphana University Lüneburg, and Head of the Energy, Transportation and Environment Department at the German Institute for Economic ResearchEditor: Oscar Birk HellenesProducer: Sarah Knowles

In recent months, political opposition towards renewable energy policies in the UK has been on a steady rise, as commitment to deliver "cheaper power" starts to overtake the ambition to have "clean power". Energy affordability is firmly back on the agenda.In the drive to deliver green targets have politicians overhyped the implications of a move to a decarbonized power system? Is free power for all a realistic or even feasible concept? If not, how can consumers be incentivised to use electricity when it’s cheap and not when it’s expensive? What are the real consequences?In this episode, Richard sits down with Afry Director, Stephen Woodhouse, at Montel's Energy Day in London to talk about whether the push for “clean power by 2030” can deliver cheap power, what changes are needed to deliver more private investment and how political and geopolitical shifts have reshaped costs and policy objectives.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Laurence Walker - Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuest: Stephen Woodhouse - Director, AfryEditor: Bled MaliqiProducer: Sarah Knowles

In October, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol - the world’s most widely used carbon accounting framework - launched two public consultations, inviting input from professionals across the industry to share their thoughts on proposed changes to the current guidance for scope 2 carbon emissions and market-based accounting.  But what are the changes? How do they affect big businesses on a global level? Could reformulating the methodology for temporal and locational reporting have far-reaching consequences for the GO market? In this episode, Richard sits down with experts in Amsterdam to discuss the proposed updates to the GHG Protocol, and what these changes mean for renewable energy markets and corporate sustainability reporting.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Alina Trabattoni - Italy Reporter, Montel NewsGuests: Killian Daly - Executive Director, EnergyTagCarolyn Addy - Head of Commercial, RenewableEditor: Bled MaliqiProducer: Sarah Knowles

Anyone who has visited Norway in recent years will be struck at the advance the country has made with electric vehicles and its charging infrastructure.Should this be rolled out across Europe, EVs could consume just over 100 TWh by 2030. What will be the impact on  grids, heavy goods transport and supply chains?Listen to a discussion on the challenges faced in the electrification of transport, especially the impact that the electrification of heavy goods vehicles will have on grids. What solutions does Europe need to deploy in order to cope with the rollout of high-speed EV charging stations?Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Gert Ove Mollestad - Norway Editor, Montel NewsGuests:Wenche Teigland - CEO, FountShan Tomouk - BESS and Energy Research Lead, Benchmark Minerals IntelligenceEditor: Bled MaliqiProducer: Sarah Knowles

European gas storage levels are lower compared to the same time last year, but many market participants are fairly confident that there will be enough of the fossil fuel for the months ahead. However, the weather remains the uncertain factor with some experts estimating that gas prices could jump more than 30% if Europe is hit with very cold temperatures this winter.What’s the outlook for prices as demand remains low, Europe becomes increasingly reliant on US LNG amid an unstable geopolitical situation?In this episode, Richard sits down with the London Stock Exchange Group to discuss several potential seasonal scenarios and the key market drivers for the months ahead. Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsContributor: Laurence Walker - Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuest: Wayne Bryan - Research Principal, London Stock Exchange GroupEditor: Bled MaliqiProducer: Sarah Knowles

Amani Joas, Managing Director at FlexPower, delves into the complexities of the PPA market, highlighting the surprising rebound of short-term standardised agreements amid a broader decline. She discusses how market sophistication post-energy crisis and improved trading capabilities are pivotal for success. Amani also explains how entities are shifting focus from premium green labels to cost-effective options. With insights on automation in PPA structuring and the rising influence of batteries and data centers, Amani paints a dynamic picture of renewable trading's future.

Christina Rentell, Research Lead at Aurora Energy Research, and Daniel Garasa Sagardoy, Energy Engineer and Solar Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, dive into the aftermath of Spain's major blackout. They discuss the shift to a 'safe mode' for grid operation, the challenges posed by solar intermittency, and the role of distributed assets. The conversation also touches on the politicization of the incident, the need for localized voltage services, and the outlook for batteries in achieving grid stability. Insightful and thought-provoking, this discussion sheds light on future energy resilience.