Energy Unplugged by Aurora

EP.146 The Japanese Power Market with Aurora’s Leadership Team in Tokyo

This week we have a special episode on Energy Unplugged in which we discuss the Japanese power market with Aurora's leadership team in Tokyo.Our Managing Director in APAC and California, Hugo Batten is joined by Aurora’s Rowan von Spreckelsen – Head of New Markets, APAC; Hayato Ono – Head of Advisory, Japan; Alex Luta and Zelin Chen – Project Leaders, Japan and Sehun Nakama – Associate, Japan.This episode is being released just as we open our office in Tokyo and deliver our first research projects in Japan.Main topics include:• The current generation mix in Japan and expected changes over the next years• Key elements of the energy transition in Japan• The Japanese electricity market design• Insights from Aurora’s Japan power market modelling workSupport the show

EP.145 Jonathan Brearley, CEO, Ofgem

In this week’s podcast we welcome Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem, in conversation with Dan Monzani, our Managing Director for UK & Ireland. Over the next 12 years, the energy system is under pressure for transformation to reach the goal of Net Zero. This episode focuses on the necessity for change within the energy system in order to achieve these targets.Jonathan has wide-ranging energy sector experience, having led Electricity Market Reform as the Director for Energy Markets and Networks at DECC. Prior to this, he was Director of the Office of Climate Change, a cross-government strategy unit focussed on climate change and energy issues, where he led the development of the Climate Change Act. Earlier in his career, Jonathan was a senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. In 2020, Jonathan became Ofgem's Chief Executive Officer after two years in the role of Executive Director for Systems and Networks.Main topics include:*The current stability of the retail market in the run to Net Zero*The future of the system operators and how important some fundamental changes are for delivering Net Zero*Why networks play a critical role in driving the energy transition.Support the show

EP.144 The energy transition: an investment climate for low-carbon infrastructure

In this episode, we discuss the energy transition as an investment climate for low-carbon infrastructure in Europe and the US. Our Research Director, Richard Howard is joined by Aurora experts: Ryan Alexander, Research Lead for European Power Markets and Julia Hoos, Head of USA East. Main topics include:•The impact of the REPowerEU plan and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the US on the energy transition•The status of renewables deployment in Europe vs the US •Green hydrogen as a direct replacement for natural gasSupport the show

EP.143 Jack Curtis, Chief Commercial Officer, Neara

In this episode, we welcome Jack Curtis, Chief Commercial Officer at Neara, in a talk with our Managing Director in APAC and California, Hugo Batten, and our Head of Research in APAC, James Ha. Today’s discussion is focused on the challenges the power grid faces through the energy transition.Neara is a physics-enabled platform that builds 3D interactive models of networks and assets, providing the ability to run real-world scenarios, assess current and future risks, and prioritize maintenance and disaster response. In the past, Jack was also Head of APAC for First Solar, and before he was both an investment banker and a lawyer.Main topics include:•The development of renewables over the past 10 years in Australia•The government and the private sector’s roles in achieving the 1.5 degrees goal in Australia’s electricity system •Neara’s platform, its fit with other models, and the challenges of the gridSupport the show

EP.142 Jan Pepper, CEO, Peninsula Clean Energy

In this episode we welcome Jan Pepper, CEO, Peninsula Clean Energy in a conversation with our Head of Advisory – US West, Felix Chow-Kambitsch and our Head of Research – US West, Kim Liu. The discussion focusses on clean energy in California, as the state transitions towards its commitment of 100% clean electricity by 2045. Jan has been working on renewable energy in California for the last 30 years. She is now CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy, a Community Choice Aggregation agency for San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos. Under Jan’s leadership since its inception in 2016, Peninsula Clean Energy has been leading the industry with its unprecedented goal for a California load-serving entity to procure 100% renewable energy 24/7 by 2025.Main topics include:•The role of CCAs in the energy transition•PCE’s goal to deliver 24/7 renewable power by 2025•Opportunities and challenges as California moves to 100% zero-carbonSupport the show

EP.141 Daniel Breuer, Partner, Osborne Clarke

This week we have a special episode on Energy Unplugged in which we welcome Daniel Breuer, Partner at Osborne Clarke in a conversation with our Co-Head of Advisory Central Europe, Thekla von Bülow. The episode is preparing for our Renewables Summit Berlin 2023 taking place tomorrow, Thursday 11th of May in Berlin, Germany. The topic of the event is ‘Coordinating the German State and Market: Policies and Strategies to Reach 80% Renewables by 2030’ and Daniel is one of our speakers at the event. Daniel will be participating in one of the panel discussions entitled ‘Uncovering Optimal Pricing Mechanisms and Navigating Impacts of Regulatory Interventions on the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) Markets’. Daniel heads Osborne Clarke Germany’s Energy & Utility practice. He advises clients on all energy and regulatory matters with a particular emphasis on renewable energy projects (from greenfield development to repowering), direct marketing and PPA structures (corporate, utility and financial), energy trading compliance, battery storage and (green) hydrogen and the digital transformation of the energy industry.The podcast episode is a pre-discussion of the topics we will touch upon on at our Renewables Summit Berlin 2023. We hope to see you there!Main topics include:•The PPAs market in the last 2-3 years starting with the COVID-19 pandemic and going through the energy crisis•The impact of price caps on the recent PPAs transactions in Germany •Regulatory interventions and their impact on the PPA marketsSupport the show

EP.140 Melissa Gander, Chief Operating Officer, Kaluza

This week on Energy Unplugged, we discuss about the revolution in retail energy markets in the UK and internationally. We’re delighted to welcome Melissa Gander, Chief Operating Officer at Kaluza in a conversation with our Managing Director for UK & Ireland, Dan Monzani. With an extensive career in energy, Melissa was a member of OVO Energy’s launch team in 2009 where she headed up their Customer Services and Operations, as well as their smart metering business. In 2019, Melissa became OVO Group Chief Operating Officer and joined Kaluza in 2021 as Chief Operating Officer helping to spearhead the company's international growth. Before joining OVO Energy, Melissa spent three years at Envoy Asset Management (part of Inexus Group). Melissa graduated in Economics from Sheffield University. Melissa & Dan discuss:•OVO Energy and what drove the growth of the company in the first 5 to 10 years•Kaluza’s business model as a real-time SaaS platform accelerating the shift to a zero carbon world•International retail markets and how straightforward is to scale a platform such as Kaluza•Domestic flexibility and the role EV manufacturers have to playSupport the show

EP.139 Chris Hansen, State Senator for Colorado

In this episode we’re delighted to welcome Chris Hansen, State Senator for Colorado in a conversation with our Head of USA, Oliver Kerr.Chris entered politics in 2016, he had a long career in the energy sector, both in academia and industry, he’s an energy expert by training, with a master degree from MIT, and a PhD from Oxford University.Oliver and Chris discuss:* The energy transition in Colorado and the role government has to play* The role for markets in the energy transition* The progress of decarbonisation wider in the USSupport the show

EP.138 Australian Energy Market with PIP | Partners in Performance

Join Hugo Batten, Managing Director in Australia at Aurora, in an exciting episode of the podcast dedicated to the Australian Energy Market. With special guests Skipp Williamson, Managing Director at Partners in Performance, and Brian Innes, Global Technical Director specializing in energy transformation practice, this episode delves into the challenges and opportunities for large energy users in Australia to decarbonize their electricity supply.Skipp Williamson, named by the Australian Financial Review as the 2019 most influential consultant, shares her insights on how she sees decarbonization as an opportunity rather than a challenge for large energy users, which derives significant cost reduction and increased productivity. The discussion also touches upon the importance of hybrid solutions and supply chain optimizations for big industrial users in the global market, including South Africa and Europe.The episode also explores the complex coal closure process in Australia over the last decade and the role of technology and service in driving energy transition. The podcast highlights Australia's strong policy thinking and appetite for change, while acknowledging that implementation may lag behind other countries like the UK and New Zealand.The role of governance and the need for the right mechanisms and incentives for investment reliability are also discussed, with a focus on the quality of carbon offsets in Australia, praised globally due to policies like The Safeguard Mechanism, implemented by the Australian government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial facilities in the energy sector.Don't miss this informative and thought-provoking episode on the Australian Energy Market, packed with insights from industry experts and leaders in the field. Tune in now to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and policy landscape in Australia's energy transition journey.Support the show

EP.137 Global Project Finance Series in partnership with SMBC Group PART III - Asia

In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Jeanne Soh - Head of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Structured Finance Department Asia Pacific, SMBC, Jason Humphreys - Partner Singapore, Allen Overy and Rowan von Spreckelsen - Principal at Research Analytics, Aurora in a discussion with our Managing Director for Australia Hugo Batten on some of the major challenges and opportunities in Asia Pacific Region for energy project finance. This episode is the third in a series on global project finance, organised in partnership with SMBC Group. With a number of 4 episodes covering Europe, Australia, Asia and the US, this series is hosted by Aurora, with guests from SMBC Group, various law firms and Aurora.The APAC region has varying levels of development when it comes to financing alternative energy solutions, with different markets exhibiting different levels of activity in energy and project finance based on technologies and geographies. Taiwan has shown increased interest in offshore wind, and its regulatory environment is favourable. Corporate PPAs are expected to be crucial in Taiwan, which has a clear regulatory framework for offshore wind. However, implementation may take some time.India has high investment and growth in alternative energy solutions, driven by demand from C&I customers, with a focus on hybrid-type solutions. Vietnam has many investors interested in its energy solutions, and has already been a leader in the region due to its solar capacity additions as part of its coal phase-out.Indonesia has room to grow in terms of renewable energy deployment, but has faced challenges with the tendering process and achieving grid-connected PPAs. There is also little visibility on how the carbon trading mechanism for coal plants will be implemented.Japan's corporate PPA market has seen a lot of interest, with batteries also becoming a major focus. However, there are concerns regarding the deliverability of some of the government targets, particularly given policy uncertainty and commodity price fluctuations.Support the show