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© 2026 Plugged In: the energy news podcast
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Coming from the heart of the Montel newsroom, Editor-in-Chief, Snjolfur Richard Sverrisson and his team of journalists explore the news headlines in the energy sector, bringing you in depth analysis of the industry’s leading stories each week.
Richard speaks to experts, analysts, regulators, and senior business leaders to the examine not just the what, but the why behind the decisions directing the markets and shaping the global transition to a green economy.
New episodes are available every Friday.
351 Episodes
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Italy has launched one of the most controversial proposals in the European energy market in years. In a bid to lower electricity prices and boost the competitiveness of Italian industry, the government has proposed shifting the cost of carbon emissions from gas-fired power plants to consumers. Supporters say the move could reduce wholesale power prices and ease pressure on businesses facing high energy costs. But critics warn it could undermine the foundations of the EU Emissions Trading Syst...
![Hormuz on the Brink, Energy Markets in Shock [Special episode]](https://storage.buzzsprout.com/66ova3h7qkdxpod4wx0ocsyhsely?.jpg "Hormuz on the Brink, Energy Markets in Shock [Special episode]")
Middle East escalation has put the Strait of Hormuz; the world’s key energy chokepoint, under threat. We assess the impact on Brent crude, European gas (TTF), and global LNG, with a focus on Qatar’s supply and Europe’s exposure. Joined by Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, Dan Marks, Research Fellow for Energy Security at RUSI, and Henning Gloystein, Eurasia Group, they discuss whether Iran would truly close Hormuz, the risks to shipping and infra...
This week marks the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine - a war which has unearthed new hybrid warfare tactics and the targeting of crucial gas and electricity infrastructure in the country. What has changed this winter for the people of Ukraine, and will Putin's mission to "freeze Ukraine” and brutally destroy its energy work? In this episode, Richard speaks to guests in Kyiv about the daily realities that the people of Ukraine have experi...
With Nord Pool set to offer electricity futures contracts from March, competition for liquidity on the Nordic power curve will heat up this year. Who will come out on top? Also, the European Commission, along with the energy regulators, wants to create a new, centralised unit to operate day-ahead market coupling in the EU. Whilst market participants agree with the need for increased regulatory oversight, there is concern from exchange bosses that this would promote a single point of fai...
As tensions between Iran and the US intensify, Russian mounts fresh attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and President Trump softens his stance on the US grab for Greenland, France´s President Macron has warned Europe about a false sense of security, even a state of emergency. In this episode, Richard speaks to our guests in front of a live audience at E-world in Essen, Germany, about the outlook for Europe's supply and demand under these ongoing geopolitical rumblings: Lis...
Norway is normally an exporter of electricity to its neighbours , but experts are sounding alarm bells. They warn that the increase in demand from electrification and data centres will eclipse the country's abundant power supply. Has Norway now reached that crucial turning point? In this episode, Richard sits down with Nordic market experts at the Pareto Securities conference in Oslo to discuss the how government subsidies are distorting investment decisions, and why major demand driver...
Ten European countries in Europe came together in Hamburg earlier this week to sign a commitment to deliver 100GW of offshore wind in the North Sea - a move the German energy minister labelled as "a historic moment for Europe." After a year of failed auctions and cancelled wind projects across some countries in Europe, does this "pact" reveal Europe's commitment to energy independence following President Trump's abuse directed at "loser windmills"? In this episode, Richard speaks to offshore ...
This week, US President Donald Trump confirmed his plans to annex Greenland, threatening European members of NATO with higher tariffs if they try to stand in his way. Despite European leaders expressing messages of defiance and retaliation to these threats from the US, does Europe's reliance on the US for its LNG - and the tariffs negotiated as part of the 2025 EU-US deal - leave the continent in a weak position to oppose Trump? In this episode, Richard speaks to geopolitical and ...
In this week's episode, we take a trip to the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland to visit the Svartsengi power Station. Located only several hundred metres from several active volcanoes, the 85 MW geothermal plant has withstood 12 eruptions over the past few years - only shutting down once when power lines actually melted. Richard sits down with HS Orka's CEO to find out exactly how this resilient power station kept running when lava was flowing down the mountainside and the local resident...
One week into the new year, and President Trump is continuing his mission to tear up the prevailing international order, creating further incertainty for global oil and gas markets following his attack on Venezuela and the arrest of its President, Nicolás Maduro. Meanwhile, Denmark has replied to US threats to annex Greenland, and Russia continues to target Ukraine's power infrastructure, despite ongoing ceasefire talks. In the first official episode of the new Plugged In podcast season...
Negative power prices, geopolitical tension, energy policy, batteries and strengthening the grid - what's in store for Europe's energy markets in 2026? In our first episode of the new year, Richard sits down with Montel's Editors from France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Nordics, and the UK to review the key events from 2025, and discuss the headlines predicted to affect Europe's energy sector in 2026. Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News Guests: Chr...
How could our Christmas leftovers, such as rejected potatoes and 'pottail' from whisky distilleries, fuel the energy transition? In our final episode for 2025, Richard sits down with a company in Scotland to discuss how they produce bio-based green chemicals from food and drink byproducts, and how these greener alternatives are already helping pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries wean off fossil fuel chemicals. Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News Contributor:...
It's been a busy first year for the EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen. The Iberian blackout, grid congestion, curtailment of renewable energy and a record number of negative prices. How does he plan to tackle some of these issues in 2026? In this episode, Richard sits down with the EU´s top energy official in the heart of the European Commission to discuss the details of his grids package released earlier this week, his stance on the future of Russian gas supplies, and how he is trying to ...
The global LNG market has been tight since 2022, with prices remaining around USD 10/MMbtu (about EUR 30/MWh). However, with the one-year countdown to the complete phase-out of Russian gas starting next month, and a new wave of LNG capacity from the US and Qatar expected to come online from next year - could prices drop as low as USD 7/MMbtu? In this episode, Richard sits down with LNG analysts and geopolitical experts to discuss how Asia could see a strong demand rebo...
Has the flagship climate conference of the parties (COP) lost its touch? One week after the closing of the annual COP conference, we examine the deals - or non-deals - that came out of the two weeks of negotiations, and why the EU failed in its negotiations to deliver a plan for the global transitioning away from fossil-fuels. Richard speaks to Lord Adair Turner about the pressure from petro-states on negotiations, the unusual alliances with developed count...
Germany boasts the biggest economy in Europe. Yet energy-intensive industries in the country are struggling with high energy costs versus their global competitors. The German government has said it will aim to lower the cost of power to EUR 50/MWh - far below current wholesale prices - from 1 January 2026 with the launch of its new industry power price. What are the implications for German companies, larger firms as well as the smaller and medium sized companies that are the engines of ...
In recent months, political opposition towards renewable energy policies in the UK has been on a steady rise, as commitment to deliver "cheaper power" starts to overtake the ambition to have "clean power". Energy affordability is firmly back on the agenda. In the drive to deliver green targets have politicians overhyped the implications of a move to a decarbonized power system? Is free power for all a realistic or even feasible concept? If not, how can consumers be incentivised to use electri...
In October, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol - the world’s most widely used carbon accounting framework - launched two public consultations, inviting input from professionals across the industry to share their thoughts on proposed changes to the current guidance for scope 2 carbon emissions and market-based accounting. But what are the changes? How do they affect big businesses on a global level? Could reformulating the methodology for temporal and locational reporting have far-reachi...
Anyone who has visited Norway in recent years will be struck at the advance the country has made with electric vehicles and its charging infrastructure. Should this be rolled out across Europe, EVs could consume just over 100 TWh by 2030. What will be the impact on grids, heavy goods transport and supply chains? Listen to a discussion on the challenges faced in the electrification of transport, especially the impact that the electrification of heavy goods vehicles will have on grids. Wh...
European gas storage levels are lower compared to the same time last year, but many market participants are fairly confident that there will be enough of the fossil fuel for the months ahead. However, the weather remains the uncertain factor with some experts estimating that gas prices could jump more than 30% if Europe is hit with very cold temperatures this winter. What’s the outlook for prices as demand remains low, Europe becomes increasingly reliant on US LNG amid an unstable geopolitica...
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