Plugged In: the energy news podcast

The collapse of dozens of UK energy retailers amid a spike in wholesale prices suggests too many were operating with just enough money to cover their expenses. Or does it reflect a failure of market design or of government policy?Listen to this week’s discussion about energy zombie firms and how to fix the UK’s energy market.Guest: Emma Pinchbeck, CEO, Energy UK

This week’s pod discusses the contested Nord Stream 2 pipeline following the temporary suspension of certification by the German regulator.Listen to a discussion on the latest developments regarding Gazprom’s attempts to gain approval and the bureaucratic, legal as well as geopolitical obstacles that stand in its way. When can we expect Russian gas to start flowing into Germany?Guest: Ana Stanic, Principal, E&A Law

This week we return to the European carbon market, where prices have soared following plans by the new German government to introduce a CO2 price floor. Listen to a discussion on the key market drivers and the outlook for the coming months. Could prices hit EUR 100/t by the end of the year or are they more likely to correct down?Guest: Ingvild Sorhus, Lead EU Carbon Analyst, Refinitiv

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