Plugged In: the energy news podcast

Send us your thoughts!Europe’s energy infrastructure is facing a growing range of threats, from physical sabotage and cyberattacks to hybrid warfare targeting the wires, the pipelines and the substations that keep power and gas flowing.This week on Plugged In, we look at how vulnerable Europe’s critical energy infrastructure really is — and whether governments and operators are prepared for an increasingly hostile security environment.We explore the risks and ask how the threat has evolved since 2022. What can Europe do to strengthen resilience, from greater redundancy and decentralisation to closer cooperation between energy companies, intelligence services and armed forces?We discuss cyber threats becoming increasingly sophisticated and attacks harder to attribute. Where are Europe’s biggest blind spots — and what would happen if a critical part of the energy system were deliberately taken offline?Host:Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Laurence Walker – Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsTobias Federico – Chief Analyst, MontelJohn Roberts – Energy Security Specialist, Methinks LtdPetras Katinas – Research Fellow in Climate, Energy and Defence, RUSIEditor: Alexandra CarlonProducer: Alexandra Carlon#EnergySecurity #EnergyInfrastructure #CyberSecurity #HybridWarfare #CriticalInfrastructure #EuropeanEnergy #EnergyMarkets #GasMarkets #EnergyResilience #EnergyTransition #Geopolitics #RenewableEnergy #Europe #PluggedInPodcast #MontelNews

Send us your thoughts!Europe’s carbon market is entering a critical period. Governments are pushing back against carbon costs, industrial competitiveness is climbing the political agenda and policy makers are debating changes that could alter how the EU ETS operates.This week on Plugged In, we look at whether Europe is simply fine-tuning its flagship carbon market, or moving towards a more actively managed system.We explore the political battle over the ETS review, proposals that could effectively create a soft carbon price corridor, and the growing tension between climate ambition and protecting European industry. We also look at what the reforms could mean for market liquidity and EUA prices, with tightening fundamentals pointing towards further upside into 2027.Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Cem Bektas – Carbon Correspondent, Montel NewsHæge Fjellheim – Head of Carbon Analysis, VeytBen Lee – Head of Carbon Research, Redshaw AdvisorsEditor & Producer: Alexandra Carlon#EUETS #CarbonMarket #CarbonTrading #CarbonPrices #EUClimatePolicy #EnergyMarkets #EnergyTransition #EmissionsTrading #IndustrialCompetitiveness #EUA #PluggedInPodcast

Send us your thoughts!It’s been one year since Europe’s day-ahead power market moved from hourly to 15-minute trading in order to help integrate renewables, boost liquidity in the day-ahead market and improve supply security. So, has the shift delivered what it promised?This week on Plugged In, we look at how the change has reshaped Europe’s power markets — from shifting liquidity and the distinctive “sawtooth” price pattern to better integration of renewables and new opportunities for flexible assets.We also explore what still needs to change, the challenges of bringing other markets into 15-minute trading, and whether Europe could eventually make the leap to five-minute intervals.Host:Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests: Olav Endre Vilnes – Editor Nordics, Montel NewsPriyanka Shinde – Nordic Market Expert, Montel AnalyticsVincent Thevenin – Market Manager, MontelIna Schjelderup – Head of Public & Regulatory Affairs Nordics, Benelux and Baltics, EPEX SPOTEditor & Producer: Alexandra Carlon#EnergyTrading #PowerMarkets #ElectricityMarkets #EnergyMarkets #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #15MinuteTrading #PowerTrading #MarketDesign #EnergyStorage #EPEXSPOT #PluggedInPodcast

Send us your thoughts!With European gas storage levels relatively low, periods of cold temperatures, weak wind or low rainfall could have an outsized impact on gas and power prices.In this episode of Plugged In, we look at the key weather patterns to watch in the months ahead and what they could mean for Europe’s energy system.How could El Niño shape the European winter? Could a weakening polar vortex raise the risk of colder weather later in the season? And what happens to power markets when high demand coincides with low wind and solar generation?We also examine the importance of rainfall and snowpack for hydropower, the growing exposure of European markets to weather-driven volatility, and how energy companies are increasingly hedging against temperature, wind and precipitation risks.Host: Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Julia Demirdag – Germany Correspondent, Montel NewsMark Stephens-Row – Client Engagement Manager EMEA and Asia, AtmosphericG2Pierre Buisson – Head Weather & Commodity Risks - Europe, Munich ReRebecca McManus – Renewables Lead, European Energy Market, AuroraEditor & Producer: Alexandra Carlon#EnergyMarkets #EuropeanEnergy #Weather #PowerMarkets #GasMarkets #Renewables #ElNino #Dunkelflaute #Hydropower

Send us your thoughts!The rules that have underpinned global shipping and energy trade for decades are coming under increasing strain. From the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea to the Baltic and the Arctic, geopolitical tensions are raising risks for shipping, supply chains and energy markets.Recorded in Svalbard, this episode looks at what a more fragmented and dangerous maritime landscape means for global energy security. The discussion explores how the Iran war has changed LNG trade, why Asian buyers are rethinking their reliance on Middle Eastern supplies, and whether the world is shifting from “just-in-time” to “just-in-case” energy supply chains.The conversation also turns to Europe, where low gas storage levels, growing reliance on US LNG and uncertainty over Russian and Qatari supplies are creating fresh concerns for the winter and next year. Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Saul Kavonic – Head of Energy Research, MST MarqueeHenning Gloystein – Managing Director, Energy & Resources, Eurasia GroupEditor & Producer: Alexandra Carlon#EnergySecurity #LNG #GasMarkets #Shipping #StraitOfHormuz #EuropeanGas #EnergyMarkets #Geopolitics #Arctic #Svalbard

Send us your thoughts!Europe is heading into winter with gas storage well below comfortable levels, LNG supplies under pressure and the Strait of Hormuz crisis adding further uncertainty to an already tight market.Could a cold winter push European gas prices to EUR 150/MWh? And with Europe increasingly competing for LNG on the global market, how exposed is the continent to another energy price shock?This week, we discuss Europe's gas balance, the race for LNG, the impact of continued disruption in the Middle East and what needs to happen to prevent another painful winter for consumers and industry.Host:Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Laurence Walker – Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsTony Jordan – Founder, Energy Price IntelligenceYuriy Onyshki – Senior Gas Analyst, LSEGTrevor Sikorski – Head of Natural Gas and Emissions, Energy AspectsEditor & Producer: Alexandra Carlon#EuropeanGas #LNG #GasStorage #EnergyMarkets #GasPrices #StraitOfHormuz #EnergyCrisis #EnergySecurity

Send us your thoughts!Batteries are emerging as one of the big winners from Europe’s increasingly volatile power markets.In this episode, we look at how huge amounts of solar generation are driving down midday power prices before sharp evening peaks create opportunities for battery storage.The discussion explores who profits from these price swings, whether batteries could begin to displace gas-fired generation, the shift towards larger and longer-duration storage, and whether a rapidly expanding battery fleet could eventually flatten the very volatility it profits from.We also look ahead to what Europe’s battery boom could mean for power prices, grid investment and the shape of the energy system by 2030.Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Julia Demirdag – Germany Correspondent, Montel NewsFintan Devenney – Market Expert, MontelBeatrice Petrovich – Senior Energy Analyst, Europe, EmberErik Strømsø – CEO, BW ESSEditor & Producer: Alexandra Carlon#BatteryStorage #BESS #EnergyStorage #PowerMarkets #EnergyMarkets #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy #Gas #EnergyTransition #Europe

Send us your thoughts!The Strait of Hormuz crisis has reshaped the outlook for global energy markets, with uncertainty over LNG flows, European gas storage and geopolitical risk hanging over the months ahead.In this episode, we look at how the conflict has affected oil and gas markets, whether disruption through Hormuz has become a lasting feature of global energy trade, and why Europe could face a tight autumn and winter; particularly on price, even if outright gas shortages remained unlikely.The discussion also covers low European storage levels, the role of weather, market reactions to Donald Trump’s interventions, and the wider geopolitical and energy risks facing Europe into 2027.Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Elise Wu - LNG Correspondent, Montel NewsAmund Vik - Senior Advisor, Eurasia GroupBjarne Schieldrop - Chief Analyst, Commodities, SEBTobias Federico - Chief Analyst, MontelEditor: Alexandra CarlonProducer: Alexandra Carlon#StraitOfHormuz #EnergyMarkets #EuropeanGas #GasPrices #LNG #EnergyCrisis #EnergySecurity #OilMarkets #Geopolitics #EuropeanEnergy #GasStorage #WinterOutlook #Iran #EnergyTransition

Send us your thoughts!Reservoir levels in southern Norway are at their lowest for 30 years raising concerns about power prices in the months ahead and the Nordic region’s ability to balance domestic needs with exports to neighbouring markets.In this episode of Plugged In, we examine the state of Nordic hydropower, the outlook for reservoir refilling and what current weather patterns could mean for power markets in the months ahead. The discussion explores the role of interconnectors, changing power flows between countries and how weather uncertainty continues to shape market expectations.Looking beyond this winter, our guests also consider how the Nordic power system may evolve over the next five to ten years as demand rises, generation changes and the energy transition gathers pace.Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Gert Ove Mollestad – Norway Editor, Montel NewsGro Klæboe – Product Manager, Mid- and Long-term Modelling, Volue Data & ForecastsSilje Eriksen Holmen – Head of Fundamentals and Hydrology, Volt PowerSigbjørn Seland – Chief Analyst, StormGeoEditor: Alexandra CarlonProducer: Alexandra Carlon#Nordics #PowerMarkets #Hydropower #EnergyTransition #ElectricityMarkets #Reservoirs #NordicPower #EnergySecurity #Montel #PluggedInPodcast

Send us your thoughts!Extreme heat and drought are putting Europe’s power system under pressure on close to an annual basis. Low river levels and high water temperatures are constraining nuclear and hydropower generation, just as demand for cooling rises. Meanwhile, solar has emerged as a bright spot — providing a quarter of the EU’s power mix in June and helping meet increased daytime demand.In this episode of Plugged In, we look at how extreme weather is reshaping Europe’s power markets, why countries overly reliant on one generation source may be particularly vulnerable, and what growing price volatility tells us about the need for storage and flexibility.We also ask whether Europe is prepared for a future in which today’s extreme summers become increasingly commonplace; and what needs to happen now to make the power system more resilient.#Energy #PowerMarkets #ClimateChange #ExtremeWeather #EnergyTransition #Renewables #SolarPower #NuclearEnergy #EnergySecurity #Europe #Drought #PowerSystems #PluggedInPodcast Host: Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Maja Žuvela -  SEE Correspondent, Montel NewsDr Chris Rosslowe -  Senior Energy Analyst, Europe, EMBER Professor Mark Maslin - British climate scientist and Professor of Earth System Science, UCL Chiara Cagnazzo - Principal Scientific Officer at Copernicus Climate Change Service Editor: Alexandra CarlonProducer: Alexandra Carlon