Plugged In: the energy news podcast

This week our attention turns to COP26 that ended last weekend in Glasgow. Was there a gulf between the technical jargon used by the conference participants and wider the global climate crisis affecting many parts of the world?Listen to a discussion on the agreement reached and the implications for carbon markets. How far away are we from a global carbon price?Guests:Lambert Schneider, Research Coordinator for International Climate Policy at Germany’s Institute for Applied EcologyAndrei Marcu, Executive Director of the European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition.

This week we focus on Europe’s Guarantee of Origin (GO) market and discuss Norway’s plans to exit the system. What form could such a GO Nexit take and how will the country be able to attract new industry wishing to source green electricity?Listen to a discussion on the Norwegian proposal, current market dynamics and how many EU GOs the UK will import this year and next in the wake of its departure from the EU.Guest: Adam White, Secretary General, RECS International

This week we speak to a regulator, a first for the pod, about how the French watchdog has dealt with the country’s energy crisis. Will more French suppliers go under, and what, if anything can be done to shield industry from very high prices?Listen to a discussion on whether the current market design is fit for purpose, and what the CRE is doing to combat market abuse.Guest: Dominique Jamme, Managing Director, CRE

Spanish measures to reform energy markets and the EU ETS are an attempt to shield households and industry from high prices, but the intervention may scare away investment and slow the growth of PPAs.Listen to a discussion on the reforms Madrid plans for energy markets, domestic and international reactions and what the tinkering may achieve.Guests: Pedro Linares, Professor, Universidad Pontificia ComillasJavier Revuelta, Senior Principal, Afry

Poland may be one of the last bastions of coal in Europe but exponential growth in solar capacity has propelled it to a top five ranking on the continent.Listen to a discussion on the outlook for renewables, and how the country plans to cope with a shortfall in capacity from 2025.Guest: Pawel Czyzak, Head of Energy and Climate, Instrat.

Germany’s coalition partners have moved beyond speed dating and are now starting to thrash out the details of an agreement to form a new government.Listen to a discussion on Germany’s path to decarbonisation and why the country needs to roll out more renewables at a faster rate – especially given the current global energy crisis and soaring fossil fuel prices.Guest: Claudia Kemfert, Head of Department Energy, Transportation and Environment,  German Institute for Economic Research

UK and continental European gas prices plunged from record highs following comments by Vladimir Putin saying Russia was prepared to increase gas supply to Europe. Listen to a discussion on current price dynamics, calls for market intervention and black box trading.Guest: Wayne Bryan, Director, European Gas Research, Refinitiv

Europe’s energy-intensive sectors are already facing spiralling costs ahead of the winter demand season. In this week’s pod, listen to a discussion on the consequences of soaring wholesale electricity prices for the non-ferrous metals sector and why some firms are calling for market intervention. Also, hear a critical view of the guarantees of origin market.Guests: Alexander Arnesen, Head of Power Procurement, ElkemNick Keramidas, EU and Regulatory Affairs Director, MytilineosCillian O’Donoghue, Energy and Climate Change Director, Eurometaux

We follow up Friday’s preview with a discussion of the results of Sunday’s elections in Germany and the role the Green party could play in shaping the country’s energy policy. Will the fiscally prudent FDP be able to strike a deal with the Greens over financing a green shift, and could a new government be in place by Christmas?Guest: Tobias Federico, Managing Director, Energy Brainpool

A few days before Germany goes to the polls, several government scenarios are still in play. Will the country see a traffic light, a Jamaica or a red-red-green coalition? And what could that mean for the country’s energy policy? Listen to a discussion on potential outcomes. Could there be a situation where Nord Stream 2 was stopped, along with a speedier coal exit and further green growth?Guest: Henning Gloystein, Director, Global Energy & Natural Resources, Eurasia Group