Plugged In: the energy news podcast

Send us your thoughts!Battery storage is booming across Europe, driven by the rapid growth of renewables, volatile power prices and an urgent need for flexibility. But as more batteries come online should operators and investors be focusing more on availability rather than profitability?This week on Plugged In, recorded at Montel's UK Energy Day in London, we explore whether Europe's battery boom risks are becoming a victim of their own success, as growing storage capacity threatens to erode the very price spreads and trading opportunities that underpin revenues.We discuss what makes a battery project profitable and bankable, the growing importance of asset availability and trading strategies, and where investors are finding the most attractive opportunities across Europe.We also examine the potential impact of long-duration energy storage, reforms to Britain's balancing market, and whether smarter technology, better locations or more innovative financing will determine the winners in Europe's increasingly competitive battery sector.

Send us your thoughts!Big Tech is buying huge amounts of renewable electricity to power data centres and the push for AI, but how green is that power really? And could changes to the rules governing corporate green energy claims transform Europe's Guarantees of Origin market?This week on Plugged In, we explore proposed changes to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol - a widely used international accounting standard for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions - including a shift towards matching renewable electricity more closely to when and where it's consumed.We examine the different approaches taken by major tech companies (such as Google and Amazon), the potential winners and losers from hourly matching, and what more granular certificates could mean for GO prices, trading, batteries and renewable investment.With resistance to tighter standards growing, we also ask whether the market is ready for such a fundamental shift — and how quickly these changes could become reality.Host:Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Nathan Witkop – Clean Energy Editor, Montel NewsDaniel Arnesson – Manager Renewable Power Certificates Analysis, VeytKillian Daly – Executive Director, EnergyTagEditor & Producer:Alexandra Carlon#RenewableEnergy #GuaranteesOfOrigin #GreenEnergy #BigTech #GHGProtocol #CarbonAccounting #HourlyMatching #EnergyTransition #CleanEnergy #CorporateSustainability #PowerMarkets #GreenCertificates #PluggedInPodcast #MontelNews #EnergyMarkets 

Send us your thoughts!As Donald Trump pushes for a peace deal in Ukraine and takes an increasingly conciliatory approach towards Russia, what could it mean for Europe’s energy markets?This week on Plugged In, we look at how a shift in US policy towards Russia could reshape energy supply; from the future of sanctions and Russian oil and gas to the impact on European prices and security of supply.We also ask whether Russian energy could become commercially attractive to Europe again, whether Europe can maintain sanctions without Washington, and what growing reliance on US LNG means if the US and Europe continue to diverge over Russia.Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel NewsGuests:Elise Wu - LNG Correspondent, Montel NewsHenning Gloystein – Managing Director, Energy, Climate & Resources, Eurasia GroupTobias Federico - Chief Analyst, MontelEditor & Producer:Alexandra Carlon #Trump #Russia #Ukraine #UkraineWar #RussiaUkraine #EnergyMarkets #EuropeanEnergy #EnergySecurity #EnergyCrisis #EnergyPrices #NaturalGas #LNG #USLNG #RussianGas #RussianOil #OilMarkets #GasMarkets #EnergySanctions #Sanctions #Geopolitics #EnergyGeopolitics #USEuropeRelations #USRussiaRelations #Europe #EnergyTransition #MontelNews #PluggedInPodcast 

Timon Dubbeling, a senior Dutch energy regulator specialising in electricity markets and grid flexibility, explores how the Netherlands can tackle mounting grid congestion. Topics include smarter connections, batteries, local flexibility, grid tariffs, transparent storage data and algorithmic trading. He also examines cross-border interconnectors, shared balancing markets and the challenge of keeping decarbonisation affordable.

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 & Producer: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