Energy Unplugged by Aurora

EP. 284 Luuk Veeken on navigating volatility in Europe’s power markets

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:39:45 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, Claudia Gunter is joined by Luuk Veeken, CEO and co-founder of Dexter Energy. Together, they explore how rising renewable penetration is driving short-term power market volatility – and why success increasingly depends on mastering real-time trading and forecasting.

Luuk explains how the shift from predictable, subsidy-backed renewables to weather-driven, merchant assets is transforming the market. With falling capture prices, rising imbalance costs, and more frequent price spikes, generators must move from simply maximizing output to actively optimizing value – continuously updating positions as forecasts evolve.

The conversation highlights how improved forecasting, intraday trading, and automation can significantly reduce imbalance exposure, while also examining the growing role of batteries, evolving market design, and cross-border balancing in stabilizing prices. Looking ahead, Luuk outlines how AI-driven forecasting and automated trading will shape the next generation of renewable business models.

You will learn about:

Why short-term volatility and imbalance costs are rising in renewable-heavy systems

How forecasting and intraday trading can protect revenues

The role of market design and cross-border balancing in price formation

How AI, automation, and batteries are reshaping renewable trading strategies

Registration for the leading annual gathering of the European energy industry – the Aurora Spring Forum, taking place on 29th April 2026, in London is open - a one-day deep dive into the biggest strategic questions shaping Europe’s energy transition, plus top-tier networking and a live recording of Energy Unplugged. Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP. 283 Offshore Wind Reset: Duncan Clark on What Comes Next

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:40:22 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, Richard Howard, Global Director of Research at Aurora Energy Research, is joined by Nick Civetta, Project Leader at Aurora Energy Research, and Duncan Clark, Board Member at Renewable UK and former Head of Europe Development at Ørsted. In this episode experts unpack what recent allocation rounds mean for offshore wind project economics, and why the UK’s 50GW target is increasingly a question of delivery rather than ambition. While confidence is returning after a market reset, significant challenges remain – particularly around grid infrastructure, supply chains, and the sheer scale of projects needing to be built this decade.

The conversation also looks ahead to how competition may evolve in future auctions, the growing role of system integration, and whether floating wind can scale commercially. Alongside this, they examine how AI and data centre demand could become a major driver of electricity consumption – and a potential opportunity for offshore wind.

You will learn about:

Why recent auctions signal a reset for offshore wind economics

What’s really holding back project delivery in the UK

How grid constraints could shape deployment this decade

The outlook for floating wind and its challenges

Why AI and data centres are a key wildcard for future demand

EP.282 Daniel Gerber on Power Electronics and the Future of Grid Stability

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:28:24 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, Reece Jackson, Senior Product Manager - Grid, Aurora, is joined by Daniel Gerber, Global Business Line Manager for Renewable Power and Motion High Power at ABB. Together, they explore how rising renewable penetration, electrification, and new demand sources are reshaping grid stability - and the critical role power electronics will play in maintaining reliable power systems.

Daniel leads ABB’s renewables-focused power electronics business and brings nearly two decades of experience spanning R&D, operations, and global service management. Drawing on ABB’s work across international markets, he shares how inverter-based resources, once seen as a source of instability, are increasingly becoming part of the solution - enabled by advances in grid-forming technologies, control systems, and digital simulation tools.

The conversation examines the technical and structural challenges facing modern grids: the shift from centralized generation to distributed, inverter-based systems; the growing impact of data centres, AI, and electrification on demand patterns; and the increasing frequency of system disturbances. Daniel outlines how a combination of improved hardware, software-based simulation, and evolving grid codes can help operators manage these complexities, while also highlighting the practical constraints - from supply chains to permitting - that continue to slow progress.

You will learn:

Why inverter-based renewables are changing how grid stability is managed.

How grid-forming technologies and power electronics can support system strength.

Why digital simulation and “grid twin” models are becoming critical for planning and operations.

What’s holding back faster grid connections - from equipment bottlenecks to system complexity.

EP. 281 Data Center Load Growth and the Future of the US Grid

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:44:32 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, Julia Hoos, Aurora’s Head of USA East, is joined by Lizzie Bonahoom, Senior Associate - North America Tech & Policy, and Jack Graham, Senior Associate - PJM Research at Aurora. Together, they explore the challenges of supplying data centers with power in the U.S., and how surging AI demand, interconnection constraints, and market dynamics are reshaping the electricity system.

Lizzie leads Aurora’s analysis of where new data centers are locating and how they interact with generation technologies, while Jack provides insight into PJM’s grid and capacity market, including lessons from Northern Virginia - the historic epicenter of U.S. cloud infrastructure. Together they discuss the complexities of forecasting large, concentrated loads, the growing role of behind-the-meter solutions, and the implications of regulatory interventions from FERC and federal authorities.

The conversation examines key trends affecting the U.S. power market today: rapid electricity demand growth from data centers, grid congestion and localized price impacts, the increasing importance of flexible interconnection strategies, and the political and regulatory pressure to accelerate large load access. Lizzie and Jack highlight how uncertainty in load forecasting, market design, and capacity procurement creates both challenges and opportunities for grid operators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders.

You will learn:

Why data center clusters and AI-driven load growth are transforming regional electricity demand.

How PJM and other ISOs are navigating transmission constraints, capacity market volatility, and political scrutiny.

Why behind-the-meter and gas-bridging solutions are emerging as short-term strategies for large loads.

How federal and state interventions could influence interconnection, market design, and grid reliability over the next decade.

EP. 280 From Ambition to Execution: Grids, Coal and Capital in APAC

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:48:44 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re joined by Randolph Brazier, Global Head of Clean Power Systems at HSBC. He speaks with Hugo Batten, Aurora’s Managing Director APAC, and Lara Panjkov, Head of Research APAC, to examine the practical realities of delivering the energy transition across Asia-Pacific - from grid stability and storage build-out to coal repowering and transition finance.

Randolph leads on HSBC’s Net Zero investment strategy and sector pathways, working closely with clients to finance clean power and support real-economy decarbonisation. A former Director of Innovation & Electricity Systems at the UK Energy Networks Association, with earlier experience designing renewable and grid projects, he brings both engineering depth and financial insight. Drawing on examples such as South Australia’s high-renewables penetration, the rapid growth of data centres, and Asia’s continued reliance on coal, the discussion explores curtailment, system strength, long-duration storage, transition taxonomies, and the structural challenges of mobilising capital at scale in emerging markets.

You will learn:

Why grids, system strength and storage duration - not just generation - are now the binding constraints on decarbonisation.

What high-renewables systems like South Australia reveal about curtailment, stability and the need for smarter market design.

How data centres, electrification and industrial growth are reshaping demand - and why the impact is more nuanced than headlines suggest.

Why coal repowering, transition taxonomies and innovative financing structures will be critical to unlocking capital across APAC.

The Repower Community Interest Company (CIC) [www.repower.world] is a global non-profit initiative dedicated to the repowering of coal power plants, initiated by Quantified Carbon. HSBC’s philanthropic partnership with Repower supports technical analysis to develop feasible low-carbon repowering options for viable sites in emerging markets.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP. 279 AI-Driven Demand and the New Power Investment Cycle

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:51:07 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re joined by Steven Mandel, Partner at TPG Rise Climate, in conversation with Oliver Kerr, Aurora’s Managing Director for North America. Together, they explore how institutional capital is responding to policy volatility, surging load growth, and the growing influence of AI on US power markets.

Steven helps lead investments across power, electrification, and the broader energy transition for TPG Rise Climate, one of the world’s largest dedicated climate investment platforms. He serves on the boards of Altus Power, Matrix Renewables, Nextracker, Intersect Power and Palmetto, and brings prior experience from Denham Capital and Citi’s Power & Utilities investment banking team.

The discussion focuses on the fundamentals shaping US power today: accelerating data centre demand, rising gas marginal costs, and the competitiveness of solar-plus-storage - even amid policy uncertainty. Steven explains why capital is concentrating on quality over pipeline scale, how investors assess durability in volatile markets, and why affordability and regulatory stability will define the next phase of deployment.

You will learn:

Why AI-driven load growth is strengthening the long-term power investment case.

How climate investors evaluate risk and downside protection in uncertain markets.

Why solar and storage remain structurally competitive.

How policy and affordability debates could shape future capital flows.

EP. 278 Nat Bullard on Decarbonisation in the Age of AI

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:53:35 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re joined by Nat Bullard, co-founder of Halcyon, an AI-enabled energy information platform, and one of the sector’s most influential data storytellers. He joins Hugo Batten, Aurora’s Managing Director APAC, and Oliver Kerr, Aurora’s Managing Director USA, to unpack the 2026 edition of his annual “Decarbonisation” presentation - a sweeping, data-led assessment of where the global energy transition is accelerating, stalling, and surprising us.

Nat brings two decades’ experience analysing energy, technology, markets and finance. Formerly Chief Content Officer at BloombergNEF and now also an advisor to Ember and Arcadia, he draws on deep market insight to separate structural trends from short-term noise. From record solar and battery deployment in the US, to flat real-terms clean investment globally, to China’s extraordinary scale in electrification and manufacturing, the conversation explores a world adding more of everything - fossil fuels and renewables alike - while grappling with grid constraints and rising electricity demand.

The discussion also examines cooling demand in developing economies, China’s emergence as a global electrostate, and the profound uncertainty surrounding AI-driven load growth and data centre interconnections in the US - where the bottleneck may be demand connection as much as generation capacity.

You will learn:

Why the energy transition appears contradictory - with record clean deployment alongside continued fossil growth.

How cooling demand in emerging economies could rival or exceed AI as a driver of electricity growth.

What China’s scale in electrification, batteries and EVs means for global supply chains and competitiveness.

Why grids and interconnection queues may prove the decisive constraint in the next phase of the transition.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-sp... and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP. 277 Michael Lewis on Delivering the Transition at System Scale

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:15:54 +0000

As part of a special live edition of Energy Unplugged, recorded from the podcast booth at E-World in Essen, Hanns Koenig, Managing Directore EMEA for Aurora Energy Research, sits down with Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper, to discuss the realities of leading a major European energy company at the heart of the transition.

Drawing on three decades in the sector - from building E.ON’s offshore wind business to steering Uniper through recovery after the gas crisis - Michael reflects on what it really takes to deliver the energy transition: cost discipline, system thinking, and a relentless focus on security of supply.

The conversation spans Germany’s progress on renewables, the case for new hydrogen-ready gas capacity, the role of batteries and demand-side flexibility, gas market resilience post-Russia, and the growing impact of data centres and electrification on future power demand. Throughout, one theme stands out: the transition cannot be delivered in silos - it must be approached as a fully integrated system.

What you’ll learn:

Why flexibility is shifting from generators to customers in a renewables-led system

How Germany is balancing coal phase-out with new hydrogen-ready gas plants

What true gas security looks like after the Russia shock - and why diversification matters
How AI, data centres and electrification could reshape Europe’s electricity demand curve

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP. 276 Scaling the Energy Transition: Flexibility, Capital and Execution

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:32:34 +0000

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, Simon De Clercq is joined by Pieter-Jan Mermans, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Junction Growth Investors, to explore how Europe’s energy transition is shifting from rapid build-out to a more operationally complex phase. Reflecting on the last decade of renewables, electrification and storage growth, they discuss why today’s biggest challenges are no longer technological, but lie in flexibility, market design, and making existing infrastructure work harder.

Pieter-Jan brings first-hand experience from founding and scaling REstore into a global leader in demand-side flexibility, before joining Centrica Business Solutions’ executive team following its acquisition. Drawing on this background - and his current role investing in European energy transition scale-ups - he explains why flexibility, software and optimisation have moved from the margins to the core of power markets, and how grid-enhancing technologies can unlock value faster and more cost-effectively than network expansion alone.

Set against tighter capital markets and evolving policy priorities, the conversation argues that the next phase of the energy transition will be defined by execution and unit economics. From residential and industrial flexibility to smarter trading, automation and regulation that reward system value, Simon and Pieter-Jan make the case that aligning markets with real-world system needs will be critical to keeping Europe’s transition investable, reliable and competitive.

You will learn:

Why flexibility and optimisation - not new generation - are now the biggest levers in Europe’s energy transition.
How demand-side response, storage and software can unlock system value faster than traditional grid build-out.
What scaling an energy-tech business reveals about the real-world barriers to deploying flexibility at pace.
Why execution, unit economics and market design will determine which transition technologies succeed in tighter capital markets.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP. 275 - Systemic Reform and the Future of Britain’s Energy System

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:56:24 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we share a keynote address from Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive of Ofgem, recorded live at Aurora’s Energy Transition Summit in London. Jonathan sets out why the UK’s energy transition now requires deep systemic reform -moving beyond a purely market-led model towards a more strategic, coordinated approach to planning, regulation and delivery. Drawing on lessons from electricity market reform and the rapid scale-up of offshore wind, he argues that choosing low-cost pathways, coordinating infrastructure, enabling flexible demand and spreading costs fairly are essential to delivering a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system.

Jonathan reflects on the pressures driving reform, from volatile gas prices and rising energy bills to surging demand from electrification, AI and data centres. He outlines how Ofgem is responding through faster network approvals, connection reform, closer coordination with the National Energy System Operator, and a renewed focus on retail market reform. The discussion highlights the challenge of balancing affordability, security and decarbonisation while creating a regulatory framework capable of supporting large-scale investment in networks and clean energy.

You will learn:

Why systemic reform is now essential to deliver a coordinated, lower-cost energy transition beyond a purely market-led model.
How affordability, fairness and energy debt are shaping the transition, and what needs to change to protect consumers.
What a reformed regulatory framework must do to unlock investment, accelerate grid build-out and enable flexible demand.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP.274 – From Grid Bottlenecks to Battery Value: Europe’s Storage Markets Evolve

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:49:00 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re joined by Steffen Schülzchen, Founder and CEO of Entrix, and Constantin Nicklas, Head of Sales at Entrix, for a discussion on how grid congestion is reshaping battery storage investment across Europe. They join Claudia Gunter, Senior Research Lead at Aurora, to focus on why network constraints have become a defining challenge for batteries, and how flexible connection models, smarter optimisation, and evolving market rules could help unlock capacity faster. The discussion explores how congestion, redispatch, and ramping limits affect battery revenues in practice, and what this means for system efficiency, investors, and decarbonisation outcomes.

Steffen founded Entrix in 2021 after advising European utilities on the energy transition at McKinsey & Company, and now leads the development of an intelligent trading and optimisation platform for battery assets. Constantin brings a commercial and investor perspective from over a decade in financial asset management at Deutsche Bank, where he worked closely with energy-focused investment structures. Together, they offer a grounded view on how regulatory design, grid access, and market signals are shaping the next phase of battery deployment in Europe.

You will learn:

Why grid congestion has become a binding constraint for battery deployment in Europe, especially in Germany.
How connection rules, redispatch, and ramping limits shape real-world battery revenues and risk.
What flexible grid access and smarter optimisation could unlock for storage investors and system operators.
How market design and regulation will need to evolve to scale batteries efficiently and cost-effectively.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP. 273 - From the C-Suite: What Next for Britain’s Energy Transition

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:04:06 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we bring you a live panel discussion from Aurora’s Energy Transition Summit, moderated by Camilla Palladino, Deputy Head of Lex at the Financial Times. She is joined by Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem; Dame Dawn Childs, CEO of Pure Data Centres Group; and Keith Anderson, CEO of Scottish Power, for a wide-ranging debate on whether Britain’s energy transition can remain on course amid political uncertainty, rising bills and growing scrutiny of net-zero commitments.

Drawing on perspectives from regulation, infrastructure delivery and energy-intensive demand, the panel strikes a note of cautious optimism on the UK’s clean power ambitions, while highlighting the barriers that must be addressed. The conversation explores the need for faster planning and regulatory reform, greater policy stability to sustain investor confidence, and a grid fit for a 21st-century economy - capable of supporting growth in AI, data centres, manufacturing and life sciences. The discussion also examines affordability, questioning how network and policy costs are recovered, and why accelerating grid investment could be one of the most effective ways to cut system costs and ease pressure on consumers.

You will learn about:

Why planning speed and regulatory agility are now critical to delivering the energy transition.
How policy instability risks undermining investor confidence at a time of major capital need.
The growing tension between rising electricity demand and an overstretched grid network.
What grid reform and cost allocation could mean for energy bills and long-term system efficiency.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP.272 – Renewables at Scale: Flexibility, Grids and the Future Power System

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:05:19 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re joined by Ana Marques, Executive Board Member at EDP. She joins Ana Barillas, Aurora’s Managing Director for Iberia & LatAm, to explore how flexibility, grids, and system resilience are becoming central to the next phase of the energy transition, alongside continued growth in wind and solar.

Ana sits on EDP’s Executive Board and oversees the group’s global renewable generation platform, alongside responsibility for digital, technology, and safety. Drawing on EDP’s international footprint, she shares how scale, technology diversification, and disciplined value creation underpin the company’s strategy, and why renewables must increasingly deliver not just clean energy, but also reliability and system services.

You will learn:

Why flexibility, grids, and resilience are now critical pillars of renewable-heavy power systems.
How renewables and storage are increasingly contributing to ancillary services and system stability.
What lessons recent system stress events offer for operating low-carbon power markets.
How electrification, data centres, and hydrogen are reshaping future power demand and market design.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP.271 - Flexibility, Batteries and the Future of Europe’s Power System

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:16:35 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, Jesse Hetema, Aurora’s Head of the Netherlands and Belgium, is joined by Simon Bushell, Founder and CEO of Sympower, to explore why flexibility has become a critical pillar of Europe’s energy transition. They discuss how rising price volatility, negative prices and grid congestion are shifting the focus from pure decarbonisation towards system resilience, and why demand-side response and batteries are now essential to keeping renewable-heavy power systems stable and investable.

Simon founded Sympower in 2015 and has grown the company into a leading provider of flexibility services across Europe, with a strong presence in the Nordics and Greece. Drawing on his experience working with industrial customers, he explains how flexibility is unlocked in practice – from identifying low-cost demand-side opportunities to optimising batteries across multiple markets – and why digital platforms, advanced dispatch and supportive regulation are key to scaling flexibility across Europe.

Listeners will also hear how tools like Aurora’s Flex subscription help market participants understand flexibility opportunities and price dynamics, and how CHRONOS supports the optimisation and valuation of battery assets across volatile power markets.

You will learn:

Why flexibility is now essential to Europe’s power system, as congestion and curtailment become structural challenges.
How flexibility services and BESS optimisation generate value across multiple European power markets.
What storage owners and large energy users need to get right to maximise multi-market revenues from flexibility.
How market design, grid constraints, and regional differences are shaping the future of flexibility at scale in Europe.

Book now at https://auroraer.com/events/aurora-spring-forum-2026 and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

EP.270 Review of 2025: Insights from the Global Energy Transition with 12 Aurora Experts

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:27:45 +0000

2025 has been a landmark year for the global energy sector and the energy transition, marked by rapid change and significant challenges.

Aurora has brought together the key themes shaping the energy transition into a special end of year report and accompanying podcast – hosted by our Global Research Director, Richard Howard and with contributions from 12 Aurora experts from Aurora’s global network.

Key themes explored are:

US policy changes under the Trump administration
The report delves into the sweeping policy shifts enacted by President Trump’s administration, which have had significant effects on both domestic and international energy markets. Increased trade tariffs, a renewed focus on US energy independence, and the rollback of clean energy incentives have altered investment flows and market dynamics. The analysis explores how these policies have impacted global trade, LNG exports, and the competitiveness of renewables.
The AI boom and data centre expansion
A defining trend of 2025 has been the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and data centre development. Electricity demand from data centres globally now rivals that of a major economy such as Germany, creating both opportunities and challenges for utilities and grid operators. The discussion covers the need for rapid grid expansion, investment in flexible infrastructure, and the implications for renewable energy integration as data centres become increasingly central to power system planning.
Grid reliability amidst climate volatility and renewables buildout
Extreme weather events, ageing infrastructure, and the accelerated deployment of renewables have placed grid reliability at the forefront of concerns. The report and podcast examine major outages and system stress in regions such as Iberia, Australia, and the US, analysing their causes and the responses from system operators and policymakers. It underscores the importance of proactive planning, investment in grid-forming technologies, and the role of flexibility—such as batteries and demand response—in maintaining system stability.
Challenges and solutions for renewables integration
As renewables reach record levels of deployment, new challenges have emerged: negative pricing, grid congestion, and economic curtailment. The report and podcast feature case studies from Europe, Latin America, Japan, and India, illustrating how different markets are addressing these issues through technology, market design, and policy innovation. Solutions discussed include longer duration storage, portfolio optimisation, and reforms to locational signals, all aimed at ensuring the continued success of the energy transition.

EP.269 – Ofgem’s Steve McMahon on Grid Investment, Faster Delivery and Net-Zero Needs

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:52:57 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Steve McMahon, Ofgem’s Director for Network Price Controls. He joins Dan Monzani, Aurora’s Managing Director for the UK & Ireland, to unpack Ofgem’s final determinations for RIIO-3 and what the next regulatory period means for networks, consumers and investors. The discussion explores the scale of required electricity and gas network investment, how strategic planning and new procurement approaches aim to accelerate delivery, and the challenges posed by surging demand, connection queues and rising system constraints.

Steve leads Ofgem’s regulation of the onshore electricity and gas networks, overseeing the current price controls and the development of the RIIO-3 settlements, as well as serving as Ofgem’s Head of Scotland. He brings deep experience from senior roles across UK and Scottish Government, including in transport infrastructure and economic analysis.

You will learn about:

Why RIIO-3 marks a major step-change in network investment and planning.
How Ofgem is balancing delivery speed, investment viability, and consumer protection.
The tools designed to accelerate grid upgrades - from early-stage funding to advanced procurement.
The growing cost of system constraints and why timely investment is essential.

EP.268 – Elevion’s Mariglen Nora on Europe’s Renewable, Storage & Biomethane Momentum

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:32:56 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Mariglen Nora, Head of the Green Energy Segment at Elevion Group, joining Casimir Lorenz, Aurora’s Market Lead for Central Europe & the Nordics, for a deep dive into how European renewable and flexibility markets are evolving across Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, and beyond.

Mariglen oversees Elevion’s portfolio of specialist companies spanning PV, battery storage, biomethane, and other clean technologies, and serves on the boards of BELECTRIC, BELECTRIC GREENVEST, and EnergyShift. Drawing on extensive experience at Elevion and CEZ Group, he offers a granular, cross-market perspective on how utility-scale PV, BESS, biomethane, and grid constraints are shaping investment priorities across Europe.

You will learn about:

How Germany’s PV boom is now shifting toward co-located solar + battery projects, and how grid constraints are shaping investor behavior.
Italy’s leadership in biomethane, the role of the MACSE mechanism in making battery storage bankable, and the country’s strong mix of renewable incentives.
The complementary relationship between PV, batteries, and biomethane: batteries for fast, short-term flexibility, and biomethane for dispatchable, long-duration power, creating a more resilient energy mix.
How rising renewable penetration across Europe is driving hybrid project development, while grid access and regulatory frameworks remain key bottlenecks.

EP.267 – Matt Kean on Australia’s Energy Transition, Policy Reform & Climate Leadership

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:13:46 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome the Honourable Matt Kean, Chair of Australia’s Climate Change Authority and Director at Wollemi. He joins Hugo Batten, Aurora’s Managing Director for APAC, and James Ha, Aurora’s Head of Research for APAC, for a deep conversation on how Australia is reshaping its energy system - through policy reform, market design, and strategic investment - to deliver a cleaner, more secure, and more affordable power sector

Matt draws on over a decade in senior government roles - including NSW Minister for Energy & Environment, NSW Treasurer, and Deputy Leader of the NSW Liberal Party - where he led major reforms in renewable energy, grid investment, and climate legislation. Now at Wollemi, he is helping scale climate-positive investments while continuing to shape Australia’s national climate strategy through the Climate Change Authority.

You will learn about:

Australia’s path to rapid decarbonisation, including REZs, long-duration storage, grid upgrades, and state–federal coordination.
Unlocking clean industry, from green manufacturing and critical minerals to electrifying mining operations.
Reforming legacy subsidies - such as diesel fuel tax credits - to accelerate clean technology uptake.
The information ecosystem shaping climate decisions, including RenewEconomy, BNEF, and independent journalism.

EP.266 – Brookfield’s Nawal Saini on India’s Renewable & Transition Investment

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:55:17 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Nawal Saini, Managing Partner in Brookfield’s Renewable Power & Transition Group. He joins Dan Monzani, Aurora’s Managing Director for the UK & Ireland and India, alongside Debabrata Ghosh, Aurora’s Head of India, for a deep dive into how renewable deployment and transition investment are accelerating in India and other emerging markets.

Nawal leads Brookfield’s renewable and transition business across these regions, drawing on extensive experience in energy and infrastructure investment at CDPQ, JP Morgan, and Jacob Ballas, as well as banking roles with ABN Amro Bank and SBI Capital Markets. His perspective combines large-scale capital allocation, platform building, and first-hand insight into navigating policy, regulatory, and market complexity in fast-growing economies.

You will learn about:

How clean energy investment is scaling in India and other emerging markets - and the structural drivers behind investor momentum.
Barriers to rapid renewable deployment, including grid constraints, curtailment, and delays in long-term PPA execution.
The rising role of hybrid renewables, batteries, and firm dispatchable renewable electricity (FDRE) solutions in delivering reliable energy at scale.
How Brookfield evaluates opportunities, structures partnerships, and manages risk in high-growth emerging markets.

EP.265 – Karol Wolański & Roch Baranowski on Poland’s Power Market Transition

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 12:26:17 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Karol Wolański, Head of Flexibility & Aggregation at Respect Energy, and Roch Baranowski, Chief Strategy Officer at Respect Energy Holding. They join Piotr Dobrzynski, Aurora's Market Lead for Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia, to discuss how Poland and the wider CEE power markets are evolving in response to renewable growth, regulatory reforms, and market volatility.

Karol brings deep expertise in balancing markets and cross-border power exchange, leading the development of flexibility and aggregation services for renewables and storage assets. Roch oversees Respect Energy’s growth strategy, combining commercial and environmental value creation, with extensive experience in energy transition, consulting, and sustainable innovation.

You will learn about:

• How flexibility and balancing services are reshaping operating models and creating new revenue streams for renewable generators and storage operators.

• Strategic approaches to optimizing battery energy storage and capturing ancillary service revenues.

• Innovative PPA structures and other mechanisms that unlock additional value in evolving power markets.

• Opportunities for early movers in Poland, the CEE region, and beyond, as the power market adapts to higher renewable penetration and new regulations.

EP.264 Anna von Bremen on Green vs. Grey: Making Germany’s Energy Market Work

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:04:42 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Anna von Bremen, Partner and Head of Energy Innovation at Osborne Clarke. She joins Nico Leicht, Project Leader in Aurora’s Berlin Advisory Team, to discuss market design, regulatory frameworks, and innovation in the German power sector.

Anna brings deep expertise in energy regulation and co-located battery storage projects, advising on both technical and commercial aspects of the evolving market. Nico and Anna explore how Germany’s grid, regulatory processes, and market mechanisms are adapting to increasing renewable penetration and new storage technologies.

Main topics include the following:

• The role of regulators and grid operators in enabling a more flexible, digitalized, and grid-friendly energy system.
• Challenges and opportunities for co-located battery storage, including the integration of green and grey power, smart homes, and virtual power plants.
• Market mechanisms, including redispatch processes, capacity pricing, and dynamic variable pricing, and their implications for investment certainty.
• The path forward for Germany’s energy transition, balancing efficiency, rationalization, and the technical implementation of climate and grid targets.

EP.263 Marcio Trannin and Ricardo Motoyama on Power Shift: How Brazil is Navigating Renewables and Market Transformation

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 16:07:18 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Marcio Trannin, Managing Director for LATAM at Sunco Capital and Vice-President of the Board of Administrators at ABSOLAR, and Ricardo Motoyama, Senior Vice President of Commercial & Business Development at Elera Renewables. They join Rodrigo Borges, Aurora’s Market Lead for Brazil, to explore how Brazil’s liberalising power market, rapid renewable expansion, and evolving policy landscape are reshaping the country’s energy future.

Marcio brings nearly three decades of experience across renewables, M&A, and regulatory affairs in Latin America’s electricity markets. Ricardo complements this with a strong commercial and financial background, offering insights into how trading, innovation, and risk management are driving new business models and accelerating Brazil’s transition to cleaner power. Together, they reflect on how Brazil can remain competitive in a global energy transition increasingly defined by flexibility and investment scale.

Main topics include the following:

The evolution of Brazil’s liberalised power market and what it means for generators, investors, and consumers
The rapid expansion of renewables - particularly solar and the operational challenges of integrating decentralized generation
The importance of policy and regulation in enabling long-term investment and competition
Lessons from international markets and what’s next for Brazil’s energy transition

EP.262 Tom Palmer on Powering the Grid: The Growing Role of Large-Scale Battery Storage

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:07:51 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Tom Palmer, Head of Business Development in Zenobē’s Network Infrastructure business. He joins Malvika Gode, Senior Associate at Aurora Energy Research, to explore how large-scale battery storage is transforming grid stability and enabling the transition to a fully renewable power system.

Tom is an economist by background and brings a wealth of experience from across the energy sector, having previously worked at RWE Renewables, Cornwall Insight, Origami Energy, Palantir Solutions, EDF Energy, and Ofgem. At Zenobē, Tom focuses on developing grid-scale battery projects that support transmission and distribution networks as they adapt to increasing renewable penetration.

Main topics include:

How large-scale batteries are stabilising renewable-heavy grids and supporting the energy transition.
Integration with transmission and distribution networks and lessons from pioneering grid-forming projects.
Technical, commercial, and market challenges, including balancing mechanism inefficiencies and evolving regulatory frameworks.
The future of grid-scale storage, from longer-duration projects to new revenue streams and system-wide flexibility.

EP.261 Martin Daronnat on Structuring the Future: How FPAs Are Powering Europe’s Battery Revolution

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:26:44 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Martin Daronnat, Head of Flexibility & Structured Origination at ENGIE . He joins Casimir Lorenz, Aurora’s Managing Director for Central Europe, for a deep dive into the emerging market for flexibility purchase agreements (FPAs) and their role in financing and operating large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Martin has over 10 years of experience in energy, with a strong background in flexibility and renewables structuring and origination. Under his leadership, ENGIE offers flexibility offtake agreements and structured products that make energy assets bankable while optimising risk exposure, including market and credit risk. In 2024, ENGIE closed Germany’s first long-term fixed-price physical FPA, enabling a large-scale BESS project to reach financial close.

Main topics include:

How flexibility purchase agreements (FPAs) support large-scale battery storage projects and make them bankable.
Exploration of the key factors that determine FPA pricing, including technical battery parameters, market and credit risk, and contract terms.
How portfolio effects and strategic positioning influence the value of batteries for traders and asset owners.
Differences between fixed-price, partial, and merchant FPAs across European markets.

EP.260 Lawson Steele on Hydrogen, Storage Solutions and Decarbonising the UK Grid

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 09:26:37 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re joined by Lawson Steele, CEO of Haldane Energy, to explore the strategic and practical role of hydrogen in long-duration energy storage and the UK’s energy transition. Marten Ford, who leads Aurora’s work in GBN Ireland on low-carbon fuels and hydrogen, guides the conversation through the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s power system over the next decade.

Lawson is responsible for the day-to-day management of Haldane Energy and is a founder and director of the Windward Energy group of companies. He has over a decade of experience in renewables and energy infrastructure, building wind portfolios and independent distribution networks.

Main topics include:

• The strategic rationale for hydrogen long-duration energy storage and its role in replacing aging gas-fired power plants

• How hydrogen provides high energy density and flexible dispatchable power relative to alternatives like batteries or pumped hydro

• Design and operation of closed-loop hydrogen systems, including electrolysers, salt cavern storage, and hydrogen fuel power stations

• Commercial viability and the importance of government schemes to de-risk investment in large-scale hydrogen energy storage

EP.259 Juan Carlos Jobet on Chile’s Energy Transition

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:43:22 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Juan Carlos Jobet, former Chilean Minister of Energy and Mining and now Dean of the Business School at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. He joins José Muñoz, Aurora’s Country Lead for Chile, to discuss Chile’s path to a cleaner, more resilient energy system, from the coal phase-out and renewable growth to the country’s ambitions in green hydrogen and the decarbonisation of mining.

Juan Carlos served as Minister of Energy and Mining from 2019 to 2022, overseeing a period of profound change in Chile’s power sector. With a background spanning public service, investment banking and executive leadership in energy and infrastructure, he brings a unique perspective on the intersection of policy, markets and global energy challenges.

Main topics include:
• The policies and partnerships that have enabled Chile’s rapid growth in renewables
• The role of large-scale storage and grid infrastructure in supporting the transition
• Green hydrogen’s progress and the challenges still to overcome
• Mining’s role in the transition and pathways to reduce its emissions

EP.258 Ben Guest on Batteries, Flexibility and the Future of the UK Grid

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:48:13 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Ben Guest, Managing Director and Head of Gresham House Energy Transition, as well as Fund Manager of the Gresham House Energy Storage Fund. He joins Caroline Still, Principal in our Oxford Advisory team, to discuss the role of storage and flexibility in enabling the UK’s energy transition.

Ben has over two decades of experience in the energy sector and leads the UK’s largest utility-scale battery storage fund. He has overseen the deployment of over 800 MW of operational battery projects, with a pipeline of more than 2 GW under development.

Main topics include:

Why storage is central to decarbonisation and balancing renewable intermittency
The role of batteries in addressing grid bottlenecks and deferring costly reinforcements
Long-duration storage, Dunkelflaute, and how policy must evolve to incentivise optimal system performance

EP.257 Karin Burns on Community Choice Aggregators and the Clean Energy Transition in California

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 09:50:21 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Karin Burns, CEO of San Diego Community Power (SDCP). She joins Oliver Kerr, Aurora’s Managing Director for North America, and Farhad Billimoria, Head of US West Research, to discuss the rise of community choice aggregation (CCA) and its role in accelerating California’s clean energy transition.

Karin has led SDCP since 2022, overseeing its rapid growth into one of the largest CCAs in California, now serving nearly one million customers. With a background spanning international finance, non-profit leadership and sustainability strategy, she brings a unique perspective on how community-led models can deliver clean, affordable and reliable energy.

Main topics include:

What community choice aggregation is and how it is reshaping California’s power market
Balancing decarbonisation with affordability and reliability for customers
The impact of federal policy changes and rapid demand growth from AI and data centres
How distributed resources and virtual power plants can enhance resilience in local energy systems

EP.256 Helen Clarkson on Business and Policy in the Global Climate Transition

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 09:50:57 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group. She joins Richard Howard, Aurora’s Global Research Director, to discuss the role of business and government in accelerating the transition to net zero.

Helen has led Climate Group since 2017, overseeing initiatives such as RE100, EV100, SteelZero, and the Under2 Coalition, which mobilise companies and governments worldwide to commit to ambitious climate goals. With over two decades of experience in climate and humanitarian work, she brings unique insights into how cross-sector coalitions can drive global action.

Main topics include:

How business and government coalitions are driving faster emissions reductions
The challenges of scaling renewables and integrating them into power systems
The growing importance of 24/7 carbon-free energy and what to expect from Climate Week NYC

EP.255 Philip Hirschhorn and Tim Nelson on the Future of Australia’s Wholesale Market

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:49:41 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Philip Hirschhorn, Ministerial Appointee to the NEM Wholesale Market Settings Review Expert Panel, and Tim Nelson, Chair of the independent review of Australia’s NEM. They join Hugo Batten, Aurora’s Managing Director for APAC, and Hana Ramli, Principal in our Australian Advisory team, to discuss the draft recommendations of the Wholesale Market Settings Review and their implications for Australia’s energy transition.

Philip has over two decades of experience advising the energy sector, including 25 years at Boston Consulting Group where he led the Australian Energy practice. He now serves on the Expert Panel shaping reforms to Australia’s derivatives market and contract design. Tim brings extensive leadership experience across Australia’s energy institutions, including Iberdrola, the AEMC, AGL, and government roles, and is currently chairing the independent review of the NEM.

Main topics include:

The scope and goals of the NEM Wholesale Market Settings Review and the challenges it seeks to address
Key draft recommendations on the spot market, derivatives, and investment signals
Implications for batteries, coal exits, and state-level renewable targets in Australia’s energy mix
Lessons from overseas markets and what it will take to implement reforms successfully

To delve deeper into the investment landscape in Australia, reach out to our Aurora experts at auroraer.com/global-presence/australia.

EP.254 Heather Reams on Conservative Leadership in US Clean Energy Policy

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:09:53 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Heather Reams, President and CEO of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES). She joins Oliver Kerr, Aurora’s Managing Director for North America, to discuss the role of conservative leadership in driving clean energy policy and the prospects for bipartisan cooperation.

Heather has led CRES since 2016, building its role as a leading right-of-centre voice for pragmatic clean energy solutions in the US. With over three decades of experience in public affairs and energy policy, she brings a unique perspective on how conservative leadership can advance the energy transition.

Main topics include:

The state of conservative and Republican support for clean energy in the US
The impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) on investment and tax credits
Why streamlining energy project approvals could be a rare opportunity for bipartisan cooperation
The implications of rising energy demand from AI and advanced manufacturing

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, attend the second edition of the Aurora Energy Transition Forum on October 21st, 2025 in New York! The event will bring together senior and influential leaders from the US energy sector - developers, utilities, investors, government, tech, and finance - to address America’s energy transition challenges and solutions. Join a curated group of senior decision-makers in a high-level setting designed to foster meaningful dialogue – more than just your usual networking. Head to Aurora’s website the to find out more and to book your ticket. We look forward to seeing you there!

EP.253 Christoph Bellin on Battery Storage and Pumped Hydro in Europe

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:49:27 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Christoph Bellin, Head of Development & Projects at Alpiq. He joins Claudia Günther, our Research Lead for Northwestern Europe, to explore the evolving roles of flexible assets like battery storage and pumped hydro in Europe’s energy transition.

Christoph is a senior energy executive with over two decades of experience in the European energy market. At Alpiq, he leads the Development & Projects unit, driving the growth of a pan-European Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) portfolio from investment through to commissioning.

Main topics include:

How Alpiq is expanding its flexible assets portfolio across Europe
The key differences in development, financing, and operation of BESS and pumped hydro
Whether batteries and pumped hydro are competitors or complementary technologies in the decarbonised grid

EP.252 Elyette Roux on Grid Deployment and Supply Chain Challenges

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:20:48 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Elyette Roux, Executive Vice President for the Power Grid market division at Nexans, and Managing Director of the company’s Accessories Business Unit. She joins Pierre Dennery, Aurora’s Country Head for France, to examine the global challenges of deploying the grid infrastructure required for the energy transition.

Elyette joined Nexans in 2021 and now oversees a division representing nearly 30% of the company’s business. She has held senior roles at Dassault Aviation, Schneider Electric, and Cisco, bringing a unique perspective on how industrial capability, innovation, and operations intersect in modernising grids.

Main topics include the following:
• How global supply chains, material availability, and workforce capacity are shaping grid project timelines
• Strategies to accelerate deployment — from advanced manufacturing to cross-industry partnerships
• The role of digitalisation and AI in enabling predictive maintenance, faster renewable integration, and more resilient networks

EP.251 Ben Wilson, President, National Grid Ventures

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:02:35 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Ben Wilson, President of National Grid Ventures. He joins Dan Monzani, our Managing Director for UK & Ireland, to explore how infrastructure, interconnectors and electrification are shaping the future of the UK and global energy systems.

Ben sits on the Executive Committee of National Grid and was appointed President of NGV in August 2024. NGV is the group’s competitive arm, operating a diverse portfolio of low-carbon and renewable energy businesses across the UK, Europe and the US, including interconnectors, battery storage, LNG and clean power generation.

Main topics include the following:

The future of interconnectors and hybrid offshore grids in building a more integrated European energy system
The impact of electrification, AI, and economic growth on rising electricity demand
The role of hydrogen in decarbonising emissions-intensive industries and enhancing system flexibility

EP.250 Robert Brook on Grid Modernisation and Resilience in the US

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 08:20:27 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Robert Brook, SVP and Managing Director of the Americas at Neara. He joins our Managing Director for North America, Oliver Kerr, to discuss the evolving state of grid infrastructure in the US and the technologies poised to transform it.

Robert brings over 30 years of experience across the energy and information technology sectors. A recognised expert in infrastructure, asset management and risk mitigation, he has held leadership roles at PG&E, Esri, and Hecatic Labs. At Neara, he now works at the forefront of digital grid modelling and utility planning.

Main topics include the following:

The growing challenges posed by aging grid infrastructure and increasing electricity demand
The role of grid-enhancing technologies, such as dynamic line ratings, in maximizing existing system capacity
Climate resilience, wildfire mitigation, and the shift toward localised generation and smarter grid operations

EP.249 The Data Centre Surge: AI’s Impact on Power Demand and Grid Planning

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 09:04:52 +0100

In this episode, we explore how the explosive growth of AI is driving a rapid expansion of data centres, and how this surge is reshaping power systems and energy infrastructure around the world. Richard Howard, Aurora’s Global Research Director, is joined by Malavika Gode, Senior Associate in our UK Advisory team, to unpack the energy implications of this accelerating global trend and what it means for the future of electricity systems.

Main topics include:

The projected surge in power demand from data centres globally, and what’s driving it
Key factors influencing where data centres are being built and how location decisions intersect with grid challenges
How data centres are sourcing power today and what needs to happen for their growth to be sustainable

EP.248 Harrison Moore on the Investment Landscape in Australia

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 08:57:26 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Harrison Moore, Head of Energy and Renewables at Azure Capital. He joins our Head of Australia, Weije Mak and Laura Perez del Olmo, Advisory Associate in our Sydney office to discuss the investment landscape in Australia for power and renewable assets.

Harrison has over 15 years of experience in corporate advisory, working across a wide variety of engagements, including M&A and capital raisings, in particular within the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. He has extensive utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) experience, involving assets across all stages of development.

Main topics include the following:

The current investment landscape in Australia and the technologies attracting the most investor interest
The impact of government tenders on financing assets in Australia
Global uncertainty around the Green Energy Transition and what it means for Australia

To delve deeper into the investment landscape in Australia, reach out to our Aurora experts here: Australia | Aurora Energy Research

EP.247 Rosheen McGuckian, CEO, NTR

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 10:40:44 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Rosheen McGuckian, CEO, NTR. She joins our Head of Research for Western Europe & India, Marc Hedin, and Steph Unsworth, Research Senior Associate in our Oxford office, to discuss the consequences of grid constraints in European countries.

Rosheen serves as the Chief Executive Officer of NTR, a leading investor and asset manager in Europe’s transition to clean energy. With over 25 years of experience and more than 3 GW of clean power investments, NTR’s expert interdisciplinary team now oversees 1.4 GW of clean energy and storage assets across seven European markets, operating on behalf of three investment funds.

Main topics include the following:

Impact on Internal Rate of Return (IRR), debt sizing, and project viability in project risk management
Battery deployment as a potential solution in countries with weak grid infrastructure
Characteristics of a bankable renewables project with unremunerated constraints in 2030 in Europe

EP.246 Jürgen Mayerhofer, CEO & Co-Founder, enspired

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:30:05 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Jürgen Mayerhofer, CEO & Co-Founder of enspired. He joins our Managing Director for Iberia & LATAM, Ana Barillas, to discuss battery optimisation.

Jürgen holds an MBA in energy management and has worked in the energy sector for 20 years, contributing to the expansion of renewables in the grid in various expert positions. Under his leadership, enspired has evolved from a small-scale startup into a trusted institution with dozens of in-house specialists for AI trading services in Europe’s short-term power markets.

Main topics include the following:

How are battery optimisation and battery trading different?
What does it take to unlock dependable revenues and finance for storage at scale?
What challenges does co-location bring to the optimisation of a battery and what strategies can be pursued to overcome them?

EP.245 Matt Grover on Battery Dispatch and Economics

Tue, 27 May 2025 09:52:27 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Matt Grover, Director of Energy Markets at Fluence in Australia. He joins our Managing Director for APAC, Hugo Batten, and our Head of Research in APAC, James Ha, to discuss battery dispatch and economics.

At Fluence in Australia, Matt leads the team responsible for the company’s Mosaic software product, which supports dozens of renewable generators and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) assets in trading on the Australian National Electricity Market (NEM). Prior to joining Fluence, Matt held roles at AMS, EnelX, and EnerNOC. He brings over a decade of experience in Australia's NEM market operations.

Main topics include the following:

Key features of NEM’s market design and generation mix, and future changes at a system level
The role of battery dispatch software in overall business cases
Battery economics including merchant dispatch, offtake contracts, and virtual tolls

EP.244 Mallika Ishwaran, Chief Economist, Shell

Tue, 20 May 2025 10:36:35 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Mallika Ishwaran, Chief Economist, Shell. She joins our Managing Director for APAC, Hugo Batten, and our Global Research Director, Richard Howard, to discuss Shell’s 2025 Energy Security Scenarios.

As Shell’s Chief Economist, Mallika advises on macroeconomic issues, economic trends, and related policy matters, shaping Shell’s long-term scenario outlooks. Prior to joining Shell, she had a distinguished career in the UK government, holding several senior roles, including Head of Policy Analysis at the Cabinet Office for the 2009 G20 London Summit.

Main topics include the following:

Impact of AI and rising energy demand in the models and scenarios
The role of gas in the energy transition, and the biggest levers to bend the emissions curve down
The best use of long-term energy models in the development of reports

EP.243 Tom Glover, UK Country Chair, RWE

Tue, 13 May 2025 10:11:08 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Tom Glover, UK Country Chair, RWE. He joins Caroline Still, Project Leader in our Oxford Advisory team, to discuss the main challenges GB’s power sector is facing.

As RWE’s UK Country Chair and Chair of the RWE UK Renewables Boards, Tom serves as the company’s most senior representative in the UK. He is responsible for leading national-level engagement and managing relationships with key stakeholders. In addition to his role at RWE, Tom is Chair of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association and a trustee for several charities. His previous experience includes roles at Barclays Capital, Enron, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Main topics include the following:

The impact of the Clean Power 2030 targets on the confidence of markets and investors
What decisions need to be settled by strategic planning, and which should be market-driven?
What can and should the UK be doing now to take advantage of the global uncertainty and remain attractive to global investors?

EP.242 Jonathan Dillon on Clean Energy Investment Trends in Europe

Tue, 06 May 2025 09:15:54 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Jonathan Dillon, Partner at Clifford Chance. He joins our Global Research Director, Richard Howard, to discuss clean energy investment trends in Europe.

Jonathan specialises in domestic and cross-border M&A for clean energy, renewables, and brownfield infrastructure assets. He advises private equity, infrastructure funds and other financial investors and has particular experience in competitive sale processes and the establishment of joint venture structures.

Main topics include the following:

How is the investor landscape evolving in terms of investor profiles, geographical interest, technology, and business models?
How do investors perceive the emerging risks to the markets and technologies of focus?
How much does the volatile geopolitical climate influence investors' decisions?

EP.241 Margaret Cooney on New Zealand’s Power Market

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:12:24 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Margaret Cooney, Chief Operating Officer at Octopus Energy in New Zealand. She joins our Managing Director for APAC, Hugo Batten, and our Head of Australia, Weije Mak, to discuss New Zealand’s power market.

Prior to Octopus Energy, Margaret was the Head of Powershop in New Zealand. She has also held roles at Meridian in New Zealand, and at OFWAT in the UK as their Head of Market Reform.

Main topics include the following:

New Zealand’s predominantly green energy mix and the key drivers of investment
Evolving from Demand Side Response to Intelligent Demand in a nodal market with extended, linear grids like those in New Zealand.
What are the challenges and advantages of operating in smaller, more isolated markets?

EP.240 Jacob Stedman, CEO, Blykalla

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 09:40:11 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Jacob Stedman, CEO of Blykalla. He joins our Head of Nordics & Baltics, Alexander Esser, to discuss the role of nuclear energy and, more specifically, of small modular reactors (SMRs).

Jacob is the CEO of Blykalla, a Swedish company specialising in the development and supply of lead-cooled SMRs. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader with over 20 years of experience, having founded and led multiple start-ups and scale-ups. Most recently, he served as co-founder and CEO of Platform24, a leading Nordic SaaS company. Earlier in his career, Jacob spent six years at McKinsey & Company, where he focused on electricity generation and climate change.

Main topics include the following:

The role of nuclear power for a future power system
The nuclear renaissance and the ambitions by the Swedish government
Blykalla’s technology and advantages of SMR over conventional nuclear reactors

EP.239 Dawn Owens on Geothermal Power in the US

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 09:44:06 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Dawn Owens, Head of Project Development and Commercial Markets at Fervo Energy. She joins our Managing Director for North America, Oliver Kerr, and Emma McElrath, Advisory Associate in our Oakland office, to discuss geothermal power in the US.

In addition to overseeing the development of the geothermal company Fervo Energy, Dawn also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University. She brings a wealth of experience in the power sector, having held roles at NRG Energy, GenOn Energy, and other organisations.

Main topics include the following:

What is geothermal energy, and what are the differences between traditional and enhanced geothermal systems?
The role of geothermal energy in the US power system
Commercialisation of geothermal energy and barriers to a more widespread adoption

EP.238 Marion Calcine on Long-Term Investing in Volatile Markets

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 11:08:57 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Marion Calcine, Chief Investment Officer at Ardian Infrastructure and Member of the Ardian France Executive Board. She joins our Research Lead for France & Iberia, Christina Rentell, to discuss investment strategies.

As CIO, Marion supervises investment processes for Ardian Infrastructure Funds in Europe and in the Americas. She has served, or currently serves, on the boards of 3New, 4New, 2i Rete Gas, Trados M45, and Mila. On top of this, Marion co-leads digital project OPTA, which aims at optimizing operational performance and minimizing merchant risk of a 2GW portfolio.

Main topics include the following:

Investment strategies amidst market volatility
Development of the hydrogen landscape
Attractiveness of financing battery storage
Enhancing operational efficiency in asset management

EP.237 Guillaume de Goÿs, CEO, Aluminium Dunkerque

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:20:06 +0100

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Guillaume de Goÿs, CEO of Aluminium Dunkerque. He joins our Head of France, Pierre Dennery, and Julia Breuing, Research Associate in our Berlin office to discuss the challenges energy consumers are facing from tariffs, electricity, and carbon prices.

Guillaume began his career in the tire industry at Michelin before transitioning to the aluminium sector, working first in Cameroon and later in France. He is now CEO of Aluminium Dunkerque, the largest aluminium smelter in Europe and a global leader in low-carbon aluminium production. He also serves as President of Aluminium France and sits on the board of UNIDEN.

Main topics include the following:

Challenges faced by energy-intensive industries in Europe and whether the European Clean Industrial Deal addresses them
Indirect emission compensation in Europe and its interactions with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
The potential role of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and flexibility

EP.236 Sir Alex Chisholm & Kirsty Gogan on the Role of Nuclear Power

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 10:14:52 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we're thrilled to welcome Sir Alex Chisholm, UK Chair of EDF and a Board Director at BT Group plc, along with Kirsty Gogan, Founding Director & Co-CEO of Terra Praxis and Managing Partner at LucidCatalyst. They'll be joining Dan Monzani, our Managing Director for the UK, Ireland, and India, for an insightful discussion on the role of nuclear power.

Prior to EDF Energy and BT Group, Sir Alex worked at the top level of the UK Government, including 4 years in charge of the business and energy department. Kirsty’s experience counts 15 years as a senior advisor to Government on climate and energy policy, including 10 Downing St and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The main topics up for discussion include the following:

The role of nuclear in supporting data centre demand
How to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors, and the role of innovation in standardising their manufacturing
The major barriers to successful new nuclear development, including funding, supply chains, skills base, and public support to this technology

EP.235 Wendy Lam, CEO, Capsol Technologies

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:40:24 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Wendy Lam, CEO of Capsol Technologies. She joined our Head of Nordics & Baltics, Alexander Esser, to discuss the future of industrial decarbonisation.

Wendy is an experienced technology leader with more than 20 years’ experience at major international industrial companies and has a proven track record of driving growth, developing strategic partnerships, and commercializing new technologies worldwide. Now, she leads Capsol Technologies, a carbon capture technology provider. They license their technology to Stockholm’s Värtaverket, which will be Europe’s first large-scale bio-energy carbon capture and storage, BECCS, plant when operational.

Main topics include the following:

The role of carbon capture in meeting climate goals
The implications of the Clean Industrial Deal for industry and investment
Real-world projects, including Europe’s first large-scale negative emissions plant

EP.234 Lucy Yu & Jon Norman on the Role of Flexibility to Enable a Clean Power Grid

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:57:43 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re excited to welcome Lucy Yu, CEO of the Centre for Net Zero, and Jon Norman, President of Hydrostor. They’ll join Marc Hedin, our Head of Research for Western Europe & India, to discuss how flexibility plays a crucial role in enabling a clean power grid.

The Centre for Net Zero is an independent research unit within Octopus Energy, focused on providing data-driven insights into the future of demand flexibility. Hydrostor, based in Toronto, specializes in the development and operation of Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage technology, offering energy storage solutions ranging from 8 hours to multiple days.

Main topics include the following:

Challenges in achieving a net-zero energy system
The importance of flexibility in a clean power system
Potential risks of lacking sufficient flexibility in the system

EP.233 Carolina Nester on Curtailment and its Impact

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Energy Unplugged, we're excited to welcome Carolina Nester, Head of Operations for Iberia at Sonnedix. She joins Christina Rentell, our Research Lead for France & Iberia, to discuss the challenges of curtailment and its impact.

With over 17 years of experience in the photovoltaic (PV) sector, Carolina has a broad background spanning solar module manufacturing, installation permitting, design, construction management, and the supervision and control of solar assets, as well as PV consulting. Since joining Sonnedix in 2017, she has been responsible for optimizing and overseeing the performance of a solar asset portfolio generating €400M in revenue.

Main topics include the following:

Negative prices and their impact on regulated assets
Evolution of grid curtailment in Iberia
Automatic Power Reduction System (SRAP) as a mitigant of curtailment

Energy Unplugged by Aurora

EP. 284 Luuk Veeken on navigating volatility in Europe’s power markets

EP. 283 Offshore Wind Reset: Duncan Clark on What Comes Next

EP.282 Daniel Gerber on Power Electronics and the Future of Grid Stability

EP. 281 Data Center Load Growth and the Future of the US Grid

EP. 280 From Ambition to Execution: Grids, Coal and Capital in APAC

EP. 279 AI-Driven Demand and the New Power Investment Cycle

EP. 278 Nat Bullard on Decarbonisation in the Age of AI

EP. 277 Michael Lewis on Delivering the Transition at System Scale

EP. 276 Scaling the Energy Transition: Flexibility, Capital and Execution

EP. 275 - Systemic Reform and the Future of Britain’s Energy System

EP.274 – From Grid Bottlenecks to Battery Value: Europe’s Storage Markets Evolve

EP. 273 - From the C-Suite: What Next for Britain’s Energy Transition

EP.272 – Renewables at Scale: Flexibility, Grids and the Future Power System

EP.271 - Flexibility, Batteries and the Future of Europe’s Power System

EP.270 Review of 2025: Insights from the Global Energy Transition with 12 Aurora Experts

EP.269 – Ofgem’s Steve McMahon on Grid Investment, Faster Delivery and Net-Zero Needs

EP.268 – Elevion’s Mariglen Nora on Europe’s Renewable, Storage & Biomethane Momentum

EP.267 – Matt Kean on Australia’s Energy Transition, Policy Reform & Climate Leadership

EP.266 – Brookfield’s Nawal Saini on India’s Renewable & Transition Investment

EP.265 – Karol Wolański & Roch Baranowski on Poland’s Power Market Transition

EP.264 Anna von Bremen on Green vs. Grey: Making Germany’s Energy Market Work

EP.263 Marcio Trannin and Ricardo Motoyama on Power Shift: How Brazil is Navigating Renewables and Market Transformation

EP.262 Tom Palmer on Powering the Grid: The Growing Role of Large-Scale Battery Storage

EP.261 Martin Daronnat on Structuring the Future: How FPAs Are Powering Europe’s Battery Revolution

EP.260 Lawson Steele on Hydrogen, Storage Solutions and Decarbonising the UK Grid

EP.259 Juan Carlos Jobet on Chile’s Energy Transition

EP.258 Ben Guest on Batteries, Flexibility and the Future of the UK Grid

EP.257 Karin Burns on Community Choice Aggregators and the Clean Energy Transition in California

EP.256 Helen Clarkson on Business and Policy in the Global Climate Transition

EP.255 Philip Hirschhorn and Tim Nelson on the Future of Australia’s Wholesale Market

EP.254 Heather Reams on Conservative Leadership in US Clean Energy Policy

EP.253 Christoph Bellin on Battery Storage and Pumped Hydro in Europe

EP.252 Elyette Roux on Grid Deployment and Supply Chain Challenges

EP.251 Ben Wilson, President, National Grid Ventures

EP.250 Robert Brook on Grid Modernisation and Resilience in the US

EP.249 The Data Centre Surge: AI’s Impact on Power Demand and Grid Planning

EP.248 Harrison Moore on the Investment Landscape in Australia

EP.247 Rosheen McGuckian, CEO, NTR

EP.246 Jürgen Mayerhofer, CEO & Co-Founder, enspired

EP.245 Matt Grover on Battery Dispatch and Economics

EP.244 Mallika Ishwaran, Chief Economist, Shell

EP.243 Tom Glover, UK Country Chair, RWE

EP.242 Jonathan Dillon on Clean Energy Investment Trends in Europe

EP.241 Margaret Cooney on New Zealand’s Power Market

EP.240 Jacob Stedman, CEO, Blykalla

EP.239 Dawn Owens on Geothermal Power in the US

EP.238 Marion Calcine on Long-Term Investing in Volatile Markets

EP.237 Guillaume de Goÿs, CEO, Aluminium Dunkerque

EP.236 Sir Alex Chisholm & Kirsty Gogan on the Role of Nuclear Power

EP.235 Wendy Lam, CEO, Capsol Technologies

EP.234 Lucy Yu & Jon Norman on the Role of Flexibility to Enable a Clean Power Grid

EP.233 Carolina Nester on Curtailment and its Impact

EP.232 Aurora Experts on our European Renewables Market Overview Report, CEE

EP.231 Nat Bullard on his Latest Presentation on the State of Decarbonisation

EP.230 Sandhya Ganapathy, CEO, EDPR North America

EP.229 Javier Cavada, President & CEO for EMEA, Mitsubishi Power

EP.228 terralayr on the German Battery Market

EP.227 Kelcy Pegler, CEO, FlexGen

EP.226 Scott Mercer on Nuclear Fusion

EP.225 Andrew Flanagan, CEO, RWE Clean Energy

EP.224 Rohan Ma on Battery Market Economics

EP.223 Tyler Norris on Interconnection Processes in the US Power Markets

EP.222 Axel Thiemann, CEO, Sonnedix

EP.221 Benjamin Merle, Chief Product Officer, Enpal

EP.220 Miguel de Jesus on the Philippine Power Market

EP.219 Toby Edmonds on Offshore Wind

EP.218 Akshay Kaul on Delivering a Grid for the Energy Transition in GB

EP.217 Ethan Zindler, Climate Counselor, U.S. Department of the Treasury

EP.216 Power Deliverability Solutions for Data Centers

EP.215 John Pettigrew, Chief Executive, National Grid

Aurora’s Careers Series: Oxford Graduate Modelling Programme Explained

Aurora’s Careers Series: Oxford Graduate Analyst Programme Explained

EP.214 Louise Oriol on Negative Price Hours in the French Market

EP.213 Brett Perlman on the US Hydrogen Industry

EP.212 Tim Jarratt on the State of the Energy Transition in Australia

EP.211 Kevin O’Donovan on the Renewables Landscape in GB

EP.210 Aurora Team on Korea’s Energy System

EP.209 Francisco Muñoz on the Chilean Energy Sector

EP.208 Allan Marks on the US’ role in the Global Energy Transition