Plugged In: the energy news podcast

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

Global gas demand will remain subdued for the remainder of the year amid a continuing supply glut. With much of the continent’s piped gas continuing to flow in large volumes and storage facilities reaching full capacity, LNG will have to take the slack, says Carlos Torres Diaz of Rystad Energy.  This week’s episode discusses the options open for LNG players and the outlook for the gas sector in th...

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

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

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

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

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

Amid a backdrop of tumbling European wholesale gas prices, this week’s episode takes a look at the multiple bearish factors overwhelming the market. Find out what the “bearish” cherry is and listen to a discussion on where the price floor could be, and how and when prices could recover.  For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit our daily extra a...

This week’s episode takes a look at the Baltic market and plans to decarbonise the region by rolling out small modular reactors.  Listen to a discussion on how small-scale nuclear could be commercially viable at much lower cost than current projects in France, Finland and the UK.  For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit our daily extra at covid...

Away from the drama and uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 virus outbreak, we take a close look at France’s nuclear fleet and discuss how production this year could fall to multi-year lows.  For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit covid19.montelnews.com.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Chris Eales, Editor...

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) continue to grow across Europe as renewables subsidies get phased out and companies look to reduce their carbon footprint. Listen to a discussion on the outlook for PPAs, and how in the Nordics firms are increasingly using them as hedging instruments, often signing “baseload” deals.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Kathrine Bakke...

Gas is quickly becoming a global commodity, but the fuel has also become a pawn in a game of geopolitics between large gas producing countries.  This week’s pod looks at the politics of gas as well as its fundamental drivers and competition, and the need to decarbonise the sector.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Karen Sund of Sund Energy. 

Ahead of the EC publication of its Climate Law next week, this week’s pod discusses the implications for Europe’s energy sector.  Listen to a discussion on carbon border taxes, sector coupling, ETS reform and decarbonising gas.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Catherine Banet, Associate Professor in Energy Law, University of Oslo. 

The rapid growth of renewables over the coming years will increase the need for PPAs and related products.  This week we discuss what the changes mean for an energy exchange – is the difference between peak and baseload still relevant?  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Peter Reitz, CEO European Energy Exchange. 

Europe is set to fully decarbonise its energy system by 2050, with a huge impact on the way electricity is produced and consumed.  This week’s pod takes a peek into the brave new energy world, and discusses flexibility, aggregation and the future of trading.  Host:   Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Matthias Dilthey, General Manager DACH, Sonnen,  Jan Aengenvoort, Head...

Global gas markets look set to remain historically weak with oversupply forecast to linger this year and into next. Europe in particular will get “messy”, according to Trevor Sikorski of Energy Aspects.  Host:   Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Trevor Sikorski, Head of Natural Gas, Oil and Carbon Research, Energy Aspects. 

Oversupply in the global gas market could persist until 2025, and the saturation spells bad news for coal plants everywhere.  This week’s pod discusses the current dynamics in the LNG market and why, despite low prices, producers and exporters of gas show no sign of holding back.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Kjell Eikland, Managing Director, Eikland Energy. 

In this week’s pod, energy expert Claudia Kemfert says Germany’s coal exit plans are a massive disappointment.  Listen to a discussion on how the proposals will not end coal generation quickly enough and will come at a far too high cost, both for taxpayers and the climate.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Claudia Kemfert, Head of Department Energy, Transportati...

European carbon prices will strengthen as the 27-nation bloc tightens its climate ambitions over the next 18 months.  However, prepare for market volatility in the short term amid Brexit, low gas prices and uncertainty over Germany’s coal exit.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Tom Lord, Head of Trading and Risk Management, Redshaw Advisors,  Alessandro Vitelli,...

Hydro levels in the Nordic region are at levels never seen before at this time of year, while southern parts of Europe have also been very wet.  Listen to Mr Hydrology, aka Eylert Ellefsen, talk about the unusually high precipitation and the impact on wholesale power prices from Trondheim to Tarragona. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Eylert Ellefsen, senior anal...

Europe’s gas market looks set to remain oversupplied this year with prices likely to be close to record lows.  In this week’s episode gas analyst Wayne Bryan questions where the demand will come from to absorb unrelenting flows of LNG and piped gas.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Wayne Bryan, gas analyst,  Nathan Witkop, Germany correspondent, Montel. 

Germany will not sign off legislation to exit coal until early this year, but a strong grassroots environmental movement could force politicians to exit the dirty fuel many years before the proposed 2038 date.  Listen to a summary of current German energy policy and the potential for a capacity squeeze in 2022.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Tobias Federico, M...

In the last pod before Christmas, listen to the Montel team discussing the key issues of 2019, and the significant developments shaping Europe’s energy markets next year.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel,  Nora Kamprath Buli, Editor Germany, Montel,  Morten Hegna, Sales Director, Montel,  Gert Ove Mollestad, Reporter, M...

Next year looks set to deliver record low gas prices amid a perfect bearish storm of an ongoing supply glut, mild weather, record high storage levels and a possible agreement in the Ukraine-Russia transit deal.  Listen to four analysts provide their 2019 highlights, and forecasts for next year.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Tor Reier Lilleholt, Head of Analy...

What will happen in 2050 when Europe's power system will be close to 100% renewables? Listen to this week's pod as we turn the Green tea leaves towards a low-carbon world and discuss the potential for energy storage using hydrogen and … ammonia. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Gry Aamodt, Vice Preseident Global Drivers, Statkraft,  Nora Kamprath Buli,...