Plugged In: the energy news podcast

The CEO of Belgian TSO Elia urges the country’s politicians to take steps to ensure the lights remain on after 2025. Belgium is currently “not ready to face that challenge”, Chris Peeters tells Montel, adding that technology such as blockchain will help balance the grid. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Chris Peeters, CEO of Elia. 

Executives at Europe’s most innovative energy technology (“Entech”) talk to Montel about the potential for blockchain to enable the next phase of the energy transition by integrating renewables as well as EVs and household appliances through blockchain and AI. How can regulation encourage innovation in the entech space? Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Ana Trbovich, co-founder and COO of Grid Singularity, Jo-Jo Hubbard, CEO of Electron, Maria McKavanagh, COO of Verv. 

Has the initial hype around the use of blockchain in the energy sector cooled off, with commercial applications coming to the fore? We speak to energy experts to discuss progress so far and the likely developments in the coming years. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Christoph Burger, senior lecturer, ESMT. Tobias Federico, CEO of Energy Brainpool. 

With a no-deal Brexit increasingly likely on 31 October, the energy sector in the UK and Europe should brace itself for costly and inefficient cross-border trading, while the EU looks set to lose a driving force in decarbonisation, and a pro-nuclear voice, says Antony Froggatt of Chatham House. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.Guests: Antony Froggatt, senior research fellow, Chatham House, Chris Eales, Editor France, Montel. 

This year will see a 25% rise in wind power capacity in Finland, largely due to high electricity prices and low production costs. However, additional green energy raises questions of flexibility in a system dominated by nuclear power, say Anni Mikkonen of the country’s wind power association and Jenni Patronen of Pöyry. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Anni Mikkonen, CEO, Finnish Wind Power Association,  Jenni Patronen, Senior Principal, Pöyry Management Consulting. 

While hydrological levels have been boosted by a wet – and snowy at high altitudes – May, the outlook for the summer remains uncertain and largely in the hands of the weather gods. Eylert Ellefsen, also known as Mr Hydrology, talks us through the prospects for hydro generation from the Balkans, central Europe, Spain and the Alpine region in the coming months. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Gert Ove Mollestad, Journalist, Montel, Eylert Ellefsen, senior analyst, EQ.

In this week’s pod, CEOs of two of Europe’s largest energy companies discuss the massive transformation currently happening in the sector. They talk about the challenges facing them in the transition to a low-carbon economy, and the impact of the European elections. Utilities should avoid becoming too attached to their old fossil fuel-fired plants and plan for the green future, they say. Hosts: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel,Andrés Cala, Madrid Bureau Chief. Guests: Magnus Hall, CEO of Vattenfall,Francesco Starace, CEO of Enel,Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of Eurelectric.

In this week’s pod, CEOs at two of Europe’s largest energy companies discuss the massive transformation currently happening in the sector. Utilities should avoid becoming too attached to their old fossil fuel-fired plants and plan for the green future, they say. 

This week’s pod looks at recent protests against onshore wind turbines in Norway, the reasons behind the opposition and the impact on the country’s energy mix and electricity prices. Is it NIMBYism or do the protestors have more widespread support? Hosts:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:  Gert Ove Mollestad, Journalist, Montel, Marius Holm Rennesund, Partner, Thema Consulting Group.   

Recorded live at the Montel German Energy Day, this week’s pod addresses key issues in Europe’s largest energy market. Catch the mood with some key snippets from speakers at the event, and then listen in to a deeper discussion about Germany’s planned coal phase-out. Will the lights go out in 2022? Hosts: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel, Nora Kamprath Buli, Team leader Germany, Montel, Anna Siwecka, freelance journalist/podcaster. Guests/speakers including by not limited to: Tobias Federico, Managing Director, Energy Brainpool, Trevor Sikorski, Head of Natural Gas, Coal and Carbon Research, Energy Aspects, Konstantin Lenz, Business Developer, Wattsight and Professor for Energy Economics at University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, Uta Staude, Managing Director, European/Asian power, Genscape.