Coming from the heart of the Montel newsroom, Editor-in-Chief, Snjolfur Richard Sverrisson and his team of journalists explore the news headlines in the energy ...
This week we explore the growing energy security challenges facing Europe amid a “seismic” shift in the global geopolitical order. In light of this, we discuss plans by the European Commission to support industry and keep energy affordable. Will these measures be enough to protect the continent from instability and price shocks? Kristian Ruby, secretary general of Eurelectric, weighs in on whether the bloc is moving fast enough to secure its energy future in an increasingly uncertain world, while pondering the role of flexibility in stabilising power markets and opines on how electric vehicles could be a game-changer for grid resilience. Host: Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel.Guests: Kristian Ruby – Secretary General, Eurelectric; Fatima Sadouki, Energy Correspondent, Montel.Podcast editor: Bled Maliqi, Montel.
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28:22
Berlin's power shift
As Germany’s Christian Democrat alliance (CDU/CSU) is in talks about forming a new government with the Social Democrats, this week’s episode discusses the country’s role in the new global order. It comes against a backdrop where US president Donald Trump is abandoning old friends in Europe and proposing a trade war instead of aiding old allies. Not only could this have implications for US-sourced LNG but the new government in Berlin must make key decisions on the future of fossil fuels, the renewables transition and on whether to embrace hydrogen. The coalition will also have to deal with pressure from domestic industry and consumers demanding cheaper and more reliable power provision, as well as a backlash against wind turbines in the east of the country.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News.Guest: Claudia Kemfert, Professor of Energy, Economics and Energy Policy at Leuphana University. She also heads the Energy, Transport, Environment Department at the German Institute for Economic Research.Podcast editor: Bled Maliqi, Montel.
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31:15
Energy, recovery & Germany’s next move
It was Europe’s biggest importer of Russian gas prior to the Ukraine invasion but Russia’s cutting of gas supplies to Europe pushed Uniper to the brink of collapse.It was nationalised in one of the biggest corporate bailouts in German history.Montel’s Editor-in-Chief has been speaking to Uniper’s COO, Holger Kreetz, on the firm’s recovery, Germany’s energy transition and the imminent snap election.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News.Guests: Katharina Johannsen, Montel News Germany.Holger Kreetz, Chief Operating Officer, Uniper.Podcast editor: Oscar Birk, Montel.
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30:23
Rising populism and energy markets
Europe’s energy sector is caught in the crossfire of rising populism. With elections approaching in Norway and Germany, governments are under pressure to prioritize short-term price stability over long-term market efficiency. Norway’s decision to impose fixed electricity prices has sparked concerns about weakened price signals and energy market fragmentation. Meanwhile, in Germany, the far-right AfD is gaining ground, threatening the country’s renewable energy expansion and interconnectivity with neighbours.This week, Plugged In comes to you from Essen at the E-World Energy & Water trade fair, where the future of Europe’s energy markets hangs in the balance. Montel’s Siobhan Hall sets the scene before we hear from Hanns Koenig, Managing Director for Central Europe at Aurora Energy Research, and Amund Vik, former Norwegian deputy minister for petroleum and energy.We discuss Norway’s shift toward energy protectionism, the growing backlash against renewables, the risks of fixed electricity pricing, and whether Europe’s integrated energy market is at risk of political unravelling.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel.Guests: Hanns Koenig, Managing Director for Central Europe at Aurora Energy Research; Amund Vik, Senior Advisor, Eurasia Group; Stephen Woodhouse, Director, Afry; Siobhan Hall, Brussels Correspondent, Montel NewsPodcast editor: Bled Maliqi, Montel.
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45:40
Regulating the unpredictable
The UK has announced hugely ambitious plans - clean power by 2030. This will involve a massive roll-out of wind, onshore and offshore, solar as well as an expansion of grids and storage. A challenge, certainly. But not impossible, according to Jonathan Brearley, the chief executive of Ofgem, the UK's energy market regulator. The CEO also explains why the watchdog thinks zonal, rather than national pricing is the best way forward for the country. In the first episode of Plugged In: the energy news podcast we discuss how the country can meet its targets, the obstacles that stand in the way and why the UK is not close to running out of gas. In fact, the UK will need gas in the future, albeit in a significantly less dependent way, according to Ofgem.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News.Guest: Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem; Laurence Walker, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel News.
Coming from the heart of the Montel newsroom, Editor-in-Chief, Snjolfur Richard Sverrisson and his team of journalists explore the news headlines in the energy sector, bringing you in depth analysis of the industry’s leading stories each week. Richard speaks to experts, analysts, regulators, and senior business leaders to the examine not just the what, but the why behind the decisions directing the markets and shaping the global transition to a green economy. New episodes are available every Friday.