Plugged In: the energy news podcast

Direct prohibition of the use of fossil fuels will be necessary in order to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement, says Rana Adib of REN 21. This week’s pod discusses how other sectors should emulate the “extraordinary success” of renewable electricity and how short term measures must accompany long term targets for green energy.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Rana Adib, Executive Director, REN 21.

Nordic wholesale power prices are unlikely to return to levels around EUR 40/MWh as delivered last year. This week’s episode welcomes back Marius Holm Rennesund with a discussion on the outlook for prices over the coming months and years, with prices expected to stay low with demand side measures and batteries assuming a greater role. Rennesund also provides his view of the future development for PPAs in the region. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Marius Holm Rennesund, Partner, Thema Consulting, Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel.

The recent EU recovery fund should help to propel the continent into a greener, cleaner post Covid-19 world. This week’s episode welcomes Susanne Nies who discusses the outlook for electricity demand in Europe, the importance of smart networks as well as insights in to the political bubble of Brussels. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel, Guest: Susanne Nies, Country Manager Germany, Smart Wires. 

EDF sent shockwaves through Europe’s power and gas markets when it forecast a 20% drop in nuclear output this year due to the coronavirus pandemic crimping demand. The crisis also forced France’s biggest power utility to overhaul its reactor maintenance schedule. This week’s pod discusses “modulation” outages and a possible shortfall in supply from September. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Emeric de Vigan, CEO and Founder of Core-e,Chris Eales, Editor France, Montel. 

Global gas demand will remain subdued for the remainder of the year amid a continuing supply glut. With much of the continent’s piped gas continuing to flow in large volumes and storage facilities reaching full capacity, LNG will have to take the slack, says Carlos Torres Diaz of Rystad Energy. This week’s episode discusses the options open for LNG players and the outlook for the gas sector in the medium to long-term. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest:Carlos Torres Diaz, Head of Gas and Power Markets Research, Rystad Energy. 

The Nordic region could see the return negative prices amid lingering oversupply, wet weather and delayed snowmelt over the coming weeks. Yet elsewhere in continental Europe will see far lower output from hydropower amid drier conditions. This week’s episode sees the return of Mr Hydrology, aka Eylert Ellefsen, who also discusses how soon we will return to pre-Covid power demand levels. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Eylert Ellefsen, Senior Analyst, Energy Quantified. 

Nordic power prices will recover faster than many people think, but a weak gas market will limit the upside. This week’s episode discusses the way in which the region’s wind power sector is ready to race ahead, and how working from home may see some traders actually thriving away from the social distractions of the office. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Fredrik Bodecker, CEO, Bodecker Partners. 

Prices in the EU carbon market are set to remain highly volatile over the coming months, driven mostly by restrictive measures to halt the spread of Covid-19. Listen to a discussion on the outlook for prices, key fundamental factors and whether speculators will return this year. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Bernadett Papp, Senior Market Analyst, Vertis. 

The oil market is getting messy, with producers struggling to cut in line with plunging demand and bulging inventories. This week’s episode discusses how we are no longer “masters of the universe” and how misplaced optimism may see oil prices remaining stagnant for the remainder of the year. At least. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Bjarne Schieldrop, Chief Analyst Commodities, SEB.

The Covid-19 outbreak has ground the wheels of EU legislative processes to a halt, but later this year the bloc’s executive will table a flurry of fresh proposals. Listen to a discussion on the European Commission’s Green Deal, and whether the coronavirus will brake or accelerate the continent’s decarbonisation. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Øyvind Vessia, Head of European Affairs, Ørsted.