Plugged In: the energy news podcast

The dominance of coal in Poland’s energy mix will come to an end – the question is by when and what will replace the dirty fuel.  This week’s pod discusses the options open to the country and which form of power generation will expand at the fastest rate. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Arek Zielezny, Managing Director, Laconia Investments,  Marcin Czekanski, P...

Corporate demand for guarantees of origin (GOs) will remain strong next year as companies continue to boost their green credentials. However, supply from French auctions and from German facilities should continue to keep prices around 50 eurocents.  Listen to expert views on what’s currently driving the GO market. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests:  Alexandra Münze...

While currently trading around EUR 25/t, European carbon prices look set to be hit by several bearish factors next year, including a potential flood of UK permits, an economic slowdown and reduced demand as Germany starts its coal exit.  Listen to the in-depth analysis of current and future CO market drivers.  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Tom Lord, Head of Trad...

Spain´s PPA boom could be a bubble that could burst in the coming years. This week´s pod comes from Madrid, where we discuss the upcoming election and the impact on energy policy.  Will the next government be able to push through the necessary legislation in order for Spain to meet its decarbonisation targets?  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Andrés Cala, Editor...

Norway could be heading for a slowdown, or even an abrupt halt, in wind power expansion amid growing opposition to onshore turbines.  This week we discuss the growth in green capacity across the Nordics and the potential impact on wholesale prices in the region and beyond.  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor, Nordics, Montel, Marius Holm Re...

Could Germany be holding back its climate ambitions due to fears of public unrest similar to the gilet jaunes movement in France?  This week’s pod addresses such concerns with Germany’s leading green energy supplier, and how the EU’s biggest economy can hasten its energy transition. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest: Nils Kompe, Head of power portfolio management, L...

Amid concerns of a global economic slowdown, this week’s pod discussed the energy market implications of the China-US trade war, Trump’s tweet and the latest Brexit developments.  What are the key pointers to look for in an increasingly uncertain gloomy macro environment?  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest: Richard Mallinson, senior analyst, Energy Aspects. 

News of fresh delays and cost overruns at France’s next generation reactor at Flamanville may not be a killer blow for the country’s nuclear industry but the sector could face death by a thousand cuts.  This week´s pod discusses more woes for French and European reactors. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Paolo Coghe, Director, Acousmatics,  Chris Eales, Editor Fra...

PPAs are a crucial way to finance new renewable energy as countries phase out subsidies and companies are looking to consume more green energy. This week´s pod discusses the current state of the PPA market and highlights ways to overcome regulatory barries and other risks.  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Caroline Brun Ellefsen, Global Head, Instatrust, DNV GL, ...

Contrary to expectations, potential German coal plant closures over the coming decade may not result in the cancellation of permits relative to their emissions.  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Bernadett Papp, Senior Market Analyst, Vertis, Marcus Ferdinand, Head of EU Power and Carbon Analytics, Nora Kamprath Buli, Editor Germany, Montel. 

Imagine a world where you can trade power from your solar panel with others, linking households, neighbourhoods and regions through digital technology.  Listen to a version of the future that is already happening in the Netherlands.  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest:  Philip Gladek, CEO, Spectral Energy.    

This week’s news of potential issues with steam generators at some of France’s nuclear reactors caused energy prices to skyrocket as market participants feared a return of problems seen in the autumn of 2016.  Listen to the guests discuss the implications for France and its neighbours.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Kris Voorspools, Portfolio Manager, Anode En...

European carbon prices are set to rise to EUR 45/t by the end of this year, according to Berenberg Bank.  Listen to analyst Lawson Steele explain his reasons in this week’s pod.  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest: Lawson Steele, Senior Utility Analyst, Berenberg Bank. 

In a bid to avoid turning into energy dinosaurs, European oil and gas majors are becoming increasingly active in the renewable sector.  In this week’s pod Nordea analyst Thina Saltvedt discusses how these firms are investing in green energy in an attempt to diversify and decarbonise their business. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Thina Saltvedt, Senior Analyst, N...

Recorded live at the Montel Nordic Energy Day, this week’s pod addresses key issues including the outlook for CO2 prices and developments in the Nordic region.  Catch the opening snippets from the event, and then listen in to a deeper discussion about the main drivers in the carbon and Nordic power markets for the coming months. Will the switch to gas-fired generation be temporary, or more permane...

Gas is set to continue to push coal and lignite out of the power mix amid ample supply and carbon prices at a “new normal” level of EUR 30/t.  Listen to the latest podcast and the discussion about the key drivers for Europe’s gas and power markets in the weeks and months ahead. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Wayne Bryan, senior energy and commodity analyst, Alfa...

The Nordic region is set for a wet autumn if the weather forecasts are to be believed, and the front quarter contract has already fallen 15% since late July.  As well as having umbrellas and raingear at the ready, the podders discuss other key issues market participants should keep an eye on in the coming months.  Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guests: Olav Vilnes, Chie...

Boris Johnson’s “do or die” Brexit pledge means the UK could crash out of the EU without a deal on 31 October.  A bluff or not, the energy sector now faces more uncertainty and could lose an important transition period to finalise trading details, says Antony Froggatt of Chatham House.  Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.  Guest: Antony Froggatt, senior research fellow, Chat...

The Montel Weekly returns this Friday! For the last time, let us take you back to one of the episode we did in spring. Do you remember the episode in which we discussed the protest against onshore wind turbines in Norway? The reasons behind the opposition and the country’s energy mix?  Let us take you behind the scenes of the episode with Montel’s Gert Ove Mollestad and Marius Holm Rennesund, Part...

How about the episode with a super-insightful discussion about coal between Paolo Coghe, president of Acousmatics, and Laurence Walker, Coal Editor, Montel?  Anna takes us behind the scenes of ‘King coal heads for the exit'. Hear the outlook for the dirty fuel and the key market developments to keep an eye on in the remainder of the year. 

Do you remember the episode in which we discussed the safety issues at France’s nuclear fleet and the country’s outlook for renewables?  Let us take you behind the scenes of the episode with Yara Chakhtoura, Managing Director at Vattenfall Eolien, Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General at IRSN, Yves Marignac, Director at WISE-Paris, and Chris Eales, Editor France at Montel.

In the last episode we announced that the Montel Weekly goes on a summer break… but we have a small surprise for you! Anna takes us behind the scenes of the show, and shares a few thoughts about some of the twenty episodes we prepared in spring. Do you remember the episode with Sonia Dunlop, senior policy adviser at Solar Power Europe and Leah Charpentier, head of European regulatory and governmen...

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

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

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