The smarter E Podcast

As Europe faces rising energy-security concerns, volatile electricity markets and growing grid congestion, a new generation of energy solutions is emerging that could turn these challenges into opportunities. Recorded live at The smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, this episode explores how EVs, smart charging, and vehicle-to-grid technology are transforming cars into active participants in the elect...

The future of energy was on display in Munich last week — and this isn’t hyperbole! While some still question how an industrialised nation like Germany can be powered by renewable energy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, The smarter E Europe 2026 offered some compelling insights. Through a major new study, an interactive exhibition, and the countless innovations showcased across the...

Recorded at the Tandem PV Workshop in Berlin, this week’s episode explores one of the most exciting frontiers in solar technology: perovskite-based tandem photovoltaics. Featuring two leading researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB), the conversations dive into why perovskites could unlock the next major step forward in solar efficiency – and what still needs to happen before the technology...

Recorded at two recent industry events – the SolarPower Summit in Brussels and the Battery Business & Development Forum in Frankfurt – this week’s episode explores why batteries have become one of the most dynamic areas of the global energy transition. Featuring two industry heavy hitters, the conversations cover how BESS is transforming everything from electric mobility and charging infr...

Recorded at the historic Berlin campus of technology and engineering giant Siemens, this week’s episode explores why Europe’s logistics industry is rapidly accelerating towards electrification – driven not only by decarbonization goals, but increasingly by energy security, operational resilience, and cost control. We’re joined by Marcel Rümenapf , Head of Sales for eMobility Europe at Siemens, to...

Recorded on-site at the SolarPower Summit in Brussels, this week’s episode captures the market developments and innovative young companies shaping Europe’s clean energy transition. We kick things off with renowned BloombergNEF solar analyst Jenny Chase, who joins us to unpack why batteries have become the defining technology conversation across Europe’s solar sector. As PV penetration rates contin...

With the Strait of Hormuz disruption continuing to drive fossil-fuel costs higher, businesses big and small have been left looking for ways to cut energy costs. But, in contrast to energy crises of the past, today’s clean energy technology is mature, cost competitive, and ready to fill the gap. This week on the pod, we speak to James Allston of Orkestra Energy for a view on how European businesses...

As global energy markets face renewed volatility – from geopolitical flashpoints to supply disruptions – a key question is back in focus: how do we deliver energy security when fossil-fuel supply is no longer guaranteed? In this episode, we explore how flexibility – powered by EVs and batteries – is emerging as a frontline solution to energy security challenges. First, Gautham Ram (TU Delft) chang...

Energy security is back at the top of the global agenda and new ways to secure supply are evolving fast. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast, we explore how solar is moving beyond generation to play a critical role in stabilizing power systems and delivering energy security. First, Wood Mackenzie analyst Timothy Shen breaks down the rapid evolution of solar inverters – and how they are w...

As geopolitical tensions once again send shockwaves through global energy markets, the pressure to accelerate the energy transition has rarely been greater. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast, we explore how digital technologies and electrification are reshaping the energy system—and why smarter, more connected grids are becoming essential in navigating today’s crisis. Our first guest, Simon...

Recorded live in Barcelona at the Solar Quality Summit in February, this episode of The smarter E Podcast examines a critical question for the PV industry: are today’s solar modules built for long-term durability? As manufacturers push for higher efficiencies, larger formats, and lower costs, quality data is flashing warning signs. Drawing on insights from Kiwa PI Berlin’s latest Module Manufactur...

Battery capacity is getting bigger, storage duration longer, and batteries more central to how power systems operate. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast, we look at what’s driving the surge in battery capacity and why expectations for storage are shifting so quickly. Projects that would have seemed unrealistic just a few years ago are now moving into planning and achieving financial close. L...

In this episode of The smarter E podcast , we unpack how bidirectional EV charging is reshaping Europe’s energy and mobility landscape, from market signals to real-world deployment at scale. We begin with a policy perspective, speaking with Adriana Fricke from Hubject – a company that is working at the intersection of e-mobility, regulation, and energy systems. As Europe pushes toward electri...

After a prolonged period of rock-bottom prices and manufacturing oversupply, solar PV pricing is starting to shift – and the implications could ripple across the global industry in 2026. In this episode of The smarter E podcast , host Jonathan Gifford digs into what’s changing beneath the surface of the PV supply chain, and why pricing dynamics are becoming impossible to ignore. In the first...

Big batteries are taking off in Europe and are set to become a major contributor to the energy transition worldwide. In Europe, deployment has now reached a critical inflection point. Annual utility-scale BESS installations doubled between 2024 and 2025, while cumulative capacity surpassed 100 GW for the first time over the same period. These insights come from new analysis by Wood Mackenzie , led...

Home may be where the heart is – but it’s also becoming a major player in the energy transition. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast , we explore how smart home energy management systems (HEMS) help households get the most out of distributed energy assets such as rooftop solar, home batteries, EV chargers, and heat pumps – making for lower energy bills, deeper decarbonization, and m...

UNSW has played an outsized role in the development of crystalline-silicon solar technology and the modern solar industry. Through its leadership of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), it continues to help shape the future of solar innovation. ACAP brings together leading Australian solar research programs, works across the entire solar value chain, and collaborates closely wi...

Where China goes, so goes the global energy transition. With its dominance across solar and energy storage supply chains, China’s every policy shift ripples through global clean tech markets. In 2025, that landscape is shifting fast: after nearly 200 GW of new solar capacity added early in the year, installations have slowed as the industry adapts to new policies. Meanwhile, manufacturers are faci...

Today, we dive into one of the most exciting areas of the energy transition: the expansion and optimisation of our power grids and the role that startups play in this. There's no question that the big players in the energy industry are important. But more and more often, it's the young, courageous companies that are driving change in the system with fresh ideas, new technologies, and unusual busin...

In Deutschland leben über 60 Prozent der Bevölkerung in Mehrfamilienhäusern, so viele wie in kaum einem anderen EU-Land. Rund 3,3 Millionen Mehrfamilienhäuser gibt es hierzulande. Gleichzeitig entfällt rund ein Viertel des gesamten Endenergieverbrauchs in Deutschland auf private Haushalte, 2022 waren es etwa 630 TWh. Das Potenzial von Mehrfamilienhäusern und ihren Bewohnern, einen entscheidenden B...

Today, we're examining a region that's rarely in the spotlight in the international energy debate, yet has enormous potential: Central Asia. Specifically five countries characterised by a long tradition of fossil fuels, but also by an abundance of sun, wind, and water: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Are these countries already tapping into their potential for a s...

Betreiber von Solaranlagen kommen künftig kaum an PV-Heimspeichern vorbei. Gründe sind das Auslaufen der EEG-Förderung, das neue Solarspitzengesetz und variable Stromtarife. Damit sich PV-Anlagen weiterhin rechnen, muss der Solarstrom zwischengespeichert werden. Dabei werden zumeist traditionell DC-Speicher und Wechselrichter verbaut. SAX Power bietet dazu eine Alternative: Einen AC-Stromspeicher,...

The European energy system is undergoing profound change, driven by the urgent need to combat climate change and secure a sustainable energy future. Underneath initiatives such as the European Green Deal this transition, opens up enormous opportunities but also brings with it considerable complexities. One Key to Smart grids is central to effectively managing this change, and smart grids - mo...

Die technische wie gestalterische Integration von Solartechnik in Bauwerke ist ein wesentliches Element für einen erfolgreichen Photovoltaikausbau. Durch die Verschmelzung von Gebäude und PV-Anlage werden neue Potenziale für die Stromerzeugung aus erneuerbaren Energien erschlossen. Bauwerkintegrierte Photovoltaik trägt dazu bei, die Akzeptanz für die erneuerbaren Energien weiter zu erhöhen. Wir di...

In this episode, we take a look at a topic that combines agriculture and the energy transition: agri-photovoltaics in India. India is considered one of the largest agricultural markets in the world and at the same time a hotspot for solar energy. But how can these two worlds be successfully combined in practice? Which technologies are gaining ground? And which political conditions are accelerating...