Energy Transitions

In this Energy Transitions podcast, Michael Hierholzer and Armin Fürderer of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, highlight the technical, operational and human aspects of this pioneering BESS project. In this episode you will learn more about: The pace of energy transition in the Baltic region, as well as current energy mix and market dynamics; The BRELL disconnect and the impact it had on Latvia’s grid; The opportunities that made Latvia’s first grid-scale BESS project possible and the challenges associated with the project; How the system has been performing thus far; How to mitigate cybersecurity risks for critical infrastructure like BESS; Key learnings from the project that could be employed in projects throughout the region; What’s next for Rolls-Royce Power systems in this region and in terms of BESS. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, Christiane Mann, Chair of the T&D Europe working group on grid digitalisation and Vice President, Head of Industry Affairs at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, helps unpack what true grid digitalisation really means. In this episode you will learn more about: What grid digitalisation actually means in technical and operational terms; How advanced digital functionalities help operators manage renewables, decentralised energy resources and rising electrification in transport and heating; Why flexibility and “flexumers” are central to the future system; The growing importance of data governance, harmonisation and digital skills in Europe’s energy transition; The impact of “capex bias” and how current regulatory models can disadvantage software and digital investments; How grid digitalisation represents a system-wide change management challenge

In this episode of the Energy Transition podcast, two members from the EU DSO Entity, Oliver Franz of E.ON and Alco de Lange of Stedin, discuss and compare the power grid crunches that have been unravelling in the Netherlands and Germany. In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, you will learn more about: The three key issues where the resilience of the grid needs to be strengthened: cybersecurity, physical resilience, and climate change; How battery storage and data centres in Germany were the “two new kids on the block”, requiring new approaches to consumption management; What led to the power congestion crunch in the Netherlands and how the country is re-approaching connection queues; The role of digitalisation and data in making effective grid investment decisions; A comparison of new congestion management methods between the Netherlands and Germany; The role of flexibility in solving grid issues? Or will we see a future with a resilient grid that can cope with all stresses?

In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, former CEO of Volkswagen and current Board Chair of The Mobility House, Herbert Diess, explains why people can't underestimate the role of cars in the energy transition. In this episode you will learn more about: Why decentralised solutions hold so much promise when it comes to solving energy transition challenges; Investing in solutions that are practical and make good business sense; Why Herbert Diess believes it's time to go all in on e-mobility; How to overcome the barriers to e-mobility, including antiquated mindsets; The Mobility House and some of the exciting projects the team is working on; Why innovation and agile start ups will drive sustainable energy transformation.

To unpack how CBAM works and explore whether its design is truly fit for purpose, Pamela Largue spoke with Jostein Røynesdal, Vice President and Head of EU Affairs at Hydro, and Hélène Lavray, Government Affairs Leader Europe for Climate & Energy at Dow. Both highlighted the complexity of the mechanism and warned of potentially serious trade implications. In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, you will learn more about: Shortcomings of the current CBAM system and what can be done to fix it; What will change this year with the implementation of CBAM, what it means for importers and the resource shuffling that could arise; The potential impacts of applying CBAM on electricity; How CBAM could impact emissions allowances within the EU ETS and impact European producers; The potential pitfalls of administering and reporting; The impact of CBAM on developing nations and diplomatic relations; Potential impacts on global trade. Jostein Røynesdal and Hélène Lavray will be speaking at European Industrial Energy Days in a panel discussion entitled, Carbon Costs and Competitiveness: What EU ETS and CBAM means for Industrial Energy Users. Register to meet them in person and join the conversation. 

In this Energy Transitions podcast episode, Nils Beenen of Uniper explains the critical role of well-designed, long-term gas PPAs in Europe’s path to decarbonisation. In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, you will learn more about: Uniper’s current position in the market and strategic focus; Why Europe needs price-secured long-term contracts; The difference between Asia and Europe in terms of securing long-term gas contracts and what Asia is getting right; The regulatory or market changes that would lower the risk of gas procurement; How higher gas prices have impacted Europe in terms of competitiveness and energy security; How long-term PPAs facilitate Uniper’s decarbonisation agenda; The benefits and risks of prioritising and implementing long-term PPAs; The risks related to energy transition and decarbonisation, electrification and renewables (upstream and downstream); How to mitigate these risks. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Uniper.

To find out more about how gas is playing an instrumental role in Europe’s decarbonisation journey, Pamela Largue spoke to Fabrice Vigneron, Chief Technical Officer at GRDF, and Chair of the Distribution Committee of the International Gas Union (IGU). In this episode, you will learn more about: How the role of gas DSOs is changing as fossil fuels are phased out around the world; Whether gas will remain as an important source of flexibility or whether it fulfill its role as a transition fuel; How DSOs need to modernise and repurpose networks and the planning and investment required to do so efficiently; The role of greener gases in residential and industrial use cases; The main challenges when it comes to distributing green gas; Efficiency measures that are being implemented such as AI, digitalisation; Why cooperation between DSOs is critical for a successful energy transition. This episode is brought to you in partnership with GRDF, France's leading natural gas distribution operator.

In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, Pamela Largue speaks to Sébastien Ruiz, CEO of EDF International Networks, to gain unique insights into how his team is dealing with the challenges of an increasingly digital world, and why data is indispensable in meeting these challenges. In this episode, you will learn more about: The challenges French DSOs are experiencing and how they are coping with these challenges; The types of innovation having the biggest impact on the distribution landscape; EDF's smart metering programmes and the importance of the data collected from these programmes; How data is used to improve maintenance programmes; Overcoming challenges in digital transformation from a technical and people perspective.

In this episode of the Energy Transitions Podcast, recorded at Enlit Europe in Bilbao, Milena Roveda, CEO at Gauss Fusion tells Kelvin Ross why her ambition to build the first of several commercial fusion plants by 2040 is grounded in realism and methodically-planned process. In this episode, you will learn more about: Why fusion is becoming increasingly attractive to investors; What the ‘known unknowns’ are for the technology; How collaboration is underpinning the success of fusion? Why Europe’s fusion race “will be won not by the size of a single fund-raise, but by the depth of industrial know-how”; And why she is driven by hope: “we’re not talking about taking out jobs and reducing costs: we’re working to make the future brighter.”

In this Energy Transitions podcast, Javier Vaquerizo of ContourGlobal, talks about how their rebrand is positioning them favourably in a complex IPP landscape. In this episode, you will learn more about: 1. What it's like to function in the current IPP landscape; 2. The opportunities and challenges facing IPPs;3. The details of ContourGlobal's rebrand;4. The market conditions that led to the change and why the pivot was needed;5. Lessons learned along the way;6. Why the journey was as much about people as the business strategy.

The Bełchatów coal power plant in Poland is the largest lignite-fired power station in Europe and one of the biggest single sources of carbon emissions on the continent. For decades, it has powered Polish industry, heated homes, and supported thousands of jobs. But it has also embodied the difficult trade-offs at the heart of the energy transition. To unpack the details of the Bełchatów energy transition, Pamela Largue is joined by Monika Manowska, Investment Advisor at Energy Investment Management.

Resilience is the buzzword on everyone’s lips following blackouts this year across Europe. The question everyone wants an answer to is: how do we prevent such catastrophes from happening again? Host Kelvin Ross is joined by someone who believes she has that answer. Pilar Rodríguez López is Head of Energy and Utilities for Europe at Ericsson and was heavily involved in the new white paper 'A Tipping Point for Europe’s Energy System: Why Resilience Must Power the Next Era of Energy', which was launched at Enlit Europe 2025. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Ericsson.

In this Energy Transitions podcast, Jeremy Hetzel of Kraken explores how distribution networks are transforming into digital ecosystems and what DSOs must do to stay ahead. In this episode, you will learn more about: 1.The strategic shift distribution companies must make to move from managing assets to optimising systems;2.How Distribution System Operators can maintain reliability and security while enabling broad market participation;3.Where the most significant areas of technology debt exist within distribution today and the impact thereof on grid resilience;4.How DSOs evaluate the performance of digital and optimisation tools in real time;5.The strategic priorities DSOs need to remain relevant in the future;6.Kraken’s most distinctive advantage in a market still dominated by legacy systems. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Kraken - an Operating System for utilities, powered by Utility-Grade AI.

In this podcast episode, Paolo Colella of Gentrack unpacks why utilities need strategies that allow agility, innovation and control over transformation. With prosumers rising, legacy systems under significant strain, and new market models emerging at pace, the utilities sector is undergoing its biggest transformation in decades. According to Paolo Colella, Chief Revenue Officer for EMEA at Gentrack, utilities that embrace new services, new revenue streams, and new customer expectations without being tied to a single technology path will maintain a competitive edge. Colella also suggests that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to utility transformation. However, there are some non-negotiables, such as the imperative to maintain control of the transformation journey. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Gentrack. 

Europe’s metals sector, more specifically the non-ferrous metals sector, is under immense pressure to decarbonise while remaining globally competitive. One of the key challenges, according to Adina Georgescu, Energy & Climate Change Director Eurometaux, is high electricity prices, which is pushing the sector beyond what it’s capable of. According to Georgescu: “We just need to be pragmatic in Europe and accept that you need to take some good strong decisions when it comes to achieving globally competitive prices.” She is also calling on policymakers to support the creation of a sustainable metals value chain towards achieving greater strategic autonomy.

In the latest episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, Pamela Largue speaks to Ben Pritchard, CEO of AVK, and Malin Östman, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development at Wärtsilä Energy, about how this can be achieved and the role that data centre microgrids can play as a scalable, practical solution to power constraints and grid instability. Pritchard and Östman elaborate on AVK and Wärtsilä’s new research paper, Data centre dispatchable capacity: a major opportunity for Europe’s energy transition, which models different energy scenarios for powering data centres, and provides insights into the optimal configuration of renewables, batteries, and dispatchable engines. This podcast is brought to you in partnership with AVK. 

This November, the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation is launching the free-of-charge Solar Step programme, which aims to provide displaced and vulnerable women in Ukraine with the skills to become project managers in solar power construction. Interest in the programme has been overwhelming, says Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation CEO and founder Yuliana Onishchuk, and guest of the Energy Transitions podcast. And for good reasons. Onishchuk explains that Ukraine’s energy sector remains heavily male-dominated, and the war has further depleted the workforce. This means Solar Step has the potential to be transformative for the sector and life-changing for the women participating. Yuliana Onishchuk will be sharing her insights at Enlit Europe in Bilbao, 18-20 November. Register to join her and be a part of the conversation.

In order to achieve energy transition and climate goals, incremental change is no longer sufficient to ensure energy markets, grids, policies and financing mechanisms are fit for purpose. In this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast, Lesley O’Connor, founder of Trifecta Energy, and daughter of renewable energy pioneer Eddie O’Connor, unpacks the radical shifts in grids, innovation and investment needed to transform Europe's energy system. O’Connor highlights the need for systems thinking, stakeholder alignment, and digital tools to accelerate change and explains why the Supergrid concept is key to unlocking clean, secure and affordable power. To continue the conversation, catch Leslie O'Connor at Enlit Europe in Bilbao.

Spain has a strong automotive sector, a strong manufacturing tradition, and is no stranger to announcements of EV battery gigafactories. So how well-placed is the country in Europe’s battery value chain and what can we expect from its EV-to-power-grid market? These are some of the key discussion points in this fourth and final episode of the special edition Energy Transitions podcast series, with Francisco Carranza, Partner at Futuraiser. Do you want to join the conversation about mobility? Visit the Mobility Zone at Enlit Europe.

In the third episode of a special four-part miniseries of the Energy Transitions Podcast exploring Spain’s journey to greener mobility, host Yusuf Latief speaks with Jacobo Domínguez-Blanco, CEO of Vecttor, a Spanish company specialising in passenger transportation through vehicles with drivers (VTC). Domínguez-Blanco outlines how these pressures are forcing a rethink in how fleets are managed, charged, and integrated into urban energy systems. He also draws on the company’s partnership with Iberdrola, where energy saving certificates (ESCs) are used to monetise fleet electrification, to discuss the opportunities e-mobility is opening up for business in Spain. Do you want to join the conversation about mobility? Visit the Mobility Zone at Enlit Europe.