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The EU Energy Projects Podcast is an insider’s look into the world of EU-funded projects transforming the energy sector in Europe.
Every fortnight we focus on a new topic in the energy transition and talk to representatives from projects that are enabling the transition to green energy by finding solutions to the sector’s most pressing problems.
The EU Energy Projects Podcast s brought to you by Enlit Europe and is curated and hosted by EU Projects Zone Editor and Director Areti Ntaradimou.
Every fortnight we focus on a new topic in the energy transition and talk to representatives from projects that are enabling the transition to green energy by finding solutions to the sector’s most pressing problems.
The EU Energy Projects Podcast s brought to you by Enlit Europe and is curated and hosted by EU Projects Zone Editor and Director Areti Ntaradimou.
76 Episodes
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In this episode we put our focus on cities. The engines of growth, but also some of the biggest contributors to climate change.
With 70% of global energy-related emissions linked to urban areas, it’s impossible to imagine a low carbon future without cities leading the way.
To explore how this transformation is unfolding, Areti Ntaradimou spoke with Frans Verspeek, project advisor for the EU-funded ATELIER project.
ATELIER is pioneering the concept of 'positive energy districts'. That is areas where groups of buildings generate more energy than they consume, sharing the surplus with their neighbours.
In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects podcast, Areti Ntaradimou had the opportunity to learn more about the E-Nergy cluster from guests Stratis Kanarachos and Kostas Arvanitis.
Energy clusters, promoted by the European Commission, are designed to create networks of cooperation that go beyond individual project boundaries. Instead of working in isolation, projects are joining forces to tackle shared challenges, amplify their voice, and reach citizens more effectively.
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Dr Istvan Vokony, TwinEU Project Coordinator spoke to host Areti Ntaradimou about how technology itself is not automatically a solution. “I can utilise a new tool in an appropriate way, or I can waste it,” he explained.
The real value lies in deciding what data to collect and how to use it. Humans can process only a handful of information sources at once, but digital systems can handle hundreds. Done well, this means faster processes, lower costs, and decisions based on solid, real-time insights rather than guesswork.
This is where digital twins come in. Unlike traditional simulation models, which rely on assumptions, digital twins use live measurements.
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, host Areti Ntaradimou had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Susanne Nies, Project Lead at Helmholtz Centre and one of the most insightful voices in European energy policy.
The conversation centred on a question Ntaradimou often returns to: how exactly is the European Commission shaping the path toward climate neutrality, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead?
Susanne took us on a journey through the evolution of EU energy policy, reminding us that it started with market liberalisation and environmental concerns, but has grown into something much bigger. The European Green Deal, she explained, is truly a turning point.
Flexibility has been making headlines across Europe lately, and for good reason. As the continent races to integrate more renewables, adapt to volatile energy markets, and strengthen its grid resilience, flexibility has emerged as a central theme in both policy debates and innovation projects.
But beyond the buzzwords, what does it actually mean in practice? And how are European actors turning it from an abstract goal into a working reality?
Those were the questions at the heart of our host, Areti Ntaradimou's recent conversation with Charles Esser, Secretary General of E.DSO, and Anastasia Skapoula, Lead of the Dissemination Task for the BeFlexible project and Junior Projects Officer at E.DSO.
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, we explore with Martina Galluccio, Data Cellar's project lead, how there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to data.
A participatory design approach has been crucial for the success of the Data Cellar project. From the beginning, the team prioritised user-friendly tools, knowing that not every stakeholder is a tech expert.
Simplifying onboarding, creating intuitive services, and providing targeted training - from high-level explanations of what a data space even is, to detailed guidance on preparing datasets - has helped bring people into the fold.
In this episode of the EU Projects podcast, host Areti Ntaradimou and Chris Vrettos, Financing Policy Advisor of Rescoop, discuss the motivations, challenges, and impacts of energy initiatives across Europe.
Chris opens our conversation with a simple truth that feels more urgent every year: the energy transition is already happening, and it needs to accelerate fast. The market is moving quickly; prices for renewables and storage continue to fall, making it economically viable to move away from fossil fuels. But while technology is racing ahead, social and political dynamics are struggling to keep pace.
The climate crisis is no longer just a topic of scientific conferences or policy debates, it’s right outside our doors. For Chris and many others living in southern Europe, the brutal summers are a reminder that we are running out of time. Therefore, the question becomes not if we transition, but how.
During the last edition of EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) Maria Laura Trifiletti and Edoardo Genova, both from Zabala, organised a very interesting session on electrifying the industry.
After listening to their interesting panel discussion during the event, our host Areti Ntaradimou felt compelled to ask them a few questions on the subject. Hence this podcast episode.
Their message is unmistakable: if Europe is serious about reaching climate neutrality, electrifying the industrial sector isn't just one strategy, it’s the cornerstone.
As Europe accelerates its energy transition, the concept of security of supply has taken on new urgency. With rising geopolitical tensions, cyber threats and the physical impacts of climate change, energy resilience is no longer just a technical issue; it’s a strategic imperative.
Our host, Areti Ntaradimou had the privilege of exploring this critical topic with Elena Giannakopoulou, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer at PPC, and Cillian O'Donoghue, Policy Director at Eurelectric, in a candid discussion that shed light on the profound challenges and real solutions facing Europe's energy sector.
In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects podcast series, our host, Areti Ntaradimou had the pleasure of discussing with Michael Villa, Executive Director of SmartEn, and Joachim Gruber, Staff Managing Director Technology at Netze BW GmbH. Our discussion centered around the evolving concept of flexibility in the energy system.
While both guests agree on its growing importance, especially considering increasing renewable integration, they approach the topic from different professional perspectives. Michael emphasizes the urgent need to activate demand-side flexibility through market-based mechanisms, whereas Joachim focuses on the physical and economic realities of grid infrastructure and the potential limitations of over-reliance on market solutions.
Our host, Areti Ntaradimou recently had the pleasure of speaking with Niccolò Fattirolli, COO of Olivo Energy and a key figure in the EU-funded Begonia project, which aims to prepare the ground for digital transformation across Europe's energy and transport sectors.
What makes the project so intriguing is its role as a preparatory action. Unlike many traditional EU-funded initiatives that focus on implementation, BEGONIA is about coordination, support and groundwork. It's not building entirely new technologies from scratch. Instead, it’s scanning existing ideas, selecting the most promising ones, and preparing them to be scaled across Europe through operational digital platforms (ODPs).
The ETIP SNET AI white paper explores the transformative potential of AI and generative AI in Europe's smart grids, incorporating industry insights to identify key uncertainties, challenges and opportunities.
Designed as a roadmap for stakeholders, the paper aims to unlock AI and GenAI’s potential in Europe’s energy transition. It is being developed with extensive stakeholder input to present a unified perspective on these evolving technologies.
To dive into this complex issue, Areti Ntaradimou sat down with Luis Cunha, chairman of ETIP SNET, during the Enlit Impact Circle in Bilbao.
European's ambitious energy transition goals hinge significantly on improving the energy efficiency of its building stock. The EU-funded EBENTO project is developing a comprehensive, one-stop-shop platform designed to streamline energy performance contracting and connect all stakeholders in the building renovation sector.
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, project coordinator Alejandra del Valle spoke with guest host Ross Hastie about EBENTO’s mission and its potential to revolutionise building renovations across Europe.
When the European Commission announced its Clean Industrial Deal, accompanied by a hefty €100 billion investment in clean manufacturing, it sounded like a step in the right direction.
A major shift in policy, a renewed commitment to research and innovation (R&I), and a move toward energy independence. What’s not to like?
But here’s the catch: Is it enough? Can Europe’s industries truly benefit from this deal, or will bureaucracy and slow implementation stifle its potential before it even gets off the ground?
To dive into this complex issue, our host, Areti Ntaradimou sat down with Ivan Matejak, Director for the SET PLAN and Strategic programming at the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA).
In honour of International Women's Day, the podcast team decided to record a special episode with Aggeliki Aggeli to discuss co-creation and innovation in EU-funded energy projects.
Aggeliki Aggeli, Researcher at BUILD, Aalborg University, and member of the DECODIT project’s consortium, is an expert in participatory methodologies. As such, she provided valuable insights into the importance of co-creation, its challenges and the role of diversity in innovation.
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast Areti Ntaradimou had the opportunity to discuss with Giulia Conforto (Senior Researcher at e-think energy research) and Lorena Skiljan (Founder and CEO at Nobilegroup), key themes regarding Europe's strengths, challenges, and opportunities in shaping its future.
This episode covers:
Europe's strengths and challenges
Competitiveness as a driver of growth
Sustainability over endless growth
Innovation as Europe's strength
Unity and the role of young professionals
Defining Europe's future
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects podcast, project manager Tasos Tsitsanis discusses Project Synergies, which aims to create a reference energy data space that enables efficient data-driven optimization and coordination among stakeholders in the energy sector.
Recorded at Enlit Europe with guest host Ross Hastie, the conversation covers the need for interoperable systems, the role of AI in prosumer empowerment, the importance of data privacy, and the potential economic benefits of data sharing for both individuals and various stakeholders.
Tasos also highlights the project's approach to scaling and replicating the data space across different regions while adhering to regulatory compliances like GDPR.
In this episode, Professor Antonello Monti discusses Project Interstore, an EU-funded initiative aimed at integrating distributed energy storage and resources.
The project seeks to hybridize and monetize storage flexibility using technology-agnostic middleware to simplify energy storage integration.
Key points include addressing vendor lock-in, promoting investment, and leveraging IEEE 2030.5 standards to enhance interoperability.
Additionally, data space technology plays a crucial role in monetizing storage and data sharing. The conversation also covers the significance of open-source tools and preemptive maintenance in ensuring the success and safety of these integrations.
We explore Project Cognit, an EU-funded initiative focused on the cognitive cloud edge continuum and its potential to reshape computing.
Project Manager Tomasz Korniluk discusses the project's goals, which include introducing a function-as-a-service paradigm for edge applications, creating a framework for managing distributed resources, and optimizing data processing with AI.
The conversation covers the major challenges such as performance, security, and data sovereignty, and highlights how AI and automation can solve these issues.
The episode also delves into the impact of the SovereignEdge.eu initiative and the benefits of using open-source technologies to enhance data sovereignty in Europe.
In this episode, the focus is on the digital transformation in Europe's energy sector.
Recorded live at Enlit Europe in Milan, the European Commission's Max Lemke - Head of Unit Internet of Things, responsible for the digitalisation of Energy, Mobility, and Agriculture, at Directorate General CONNECT - discusses with Enlit's Brussels Editor Areti Ntaradimou the progress and future trajectory of digitalisation across industries.
They delve into the integration of AI, IoT, and digital twins in transforming energy systems and fostering synergies between renewable energy, e-mobility, and smart buildings.
The conversation also touches on the collaboration between digitalization and the European Green Deal, emphasising the role of data, cybersecurity, and the potential impact on Europe's energy infrastructure. Find more episodes of the EU Energy Projects Podcast here: https://www.enlit.world/podcasts/the-eu-energy-projects-podcast/
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