Energy Unplugged by Aurora

EP.88 The role of Long Duration Electricity Storage (LDES) with Aurora experts Emma and Caroline

This week on Energy Unplugged, we discuss the role Long Duration Electricity Storage (LDES) could play in ensuring energy security in GB. Our Head of Commissioned Projects for Western Europe - Felix Chow-Kambitsch is joined by two Aurora experts: Emma Woodward, Senior Associate and Caroline Still, Associate. Aurora has recently published a report on the topic, key findings can be found here: https://auroraer.com/insight/long-duration-electricity-storage-in-gb-2/Felix, Emma and Caroline discuss:•The role LDES plays in an energy system•How much LDES do we need in the UK and what energy system implications would LDES have•The UK government’s cap-and-floor mechanism to support LDESNext week we will welcome David Giordano, Global Head of Renewable Power at BlackRock. Stay tuned!Support the show

EP.87 Impact of Russia-Ukraine war on European gas markets with Aurora experts Hanns & Anise

This week, we have a special episode on Energy Unplugged in which our experts discuss the ongoing crisis in the European energy sector and the impact of Russia-Ukraine war on the European gas markets. Our Head of Commissioned Projects in Central Europe, Hanns Koenig is joined by Anise Ganbold who leads our research team for Commodities and Hydrogen.Anise and the team have been looking for the past couple of weeks into this topic and have been producing a couple of reports. One report which has been released this week examines how a drop in available Russian gas export capacity, or supply, to Europe affects the European supply mix. More details can be found at: https://auroraer.com/insight/impact-of-ukraine-russia-conflict-on-european-gas-markets/Anise and Hanns discuss:• A retrospective of what happened in the European gas market over the past few weeks• The European reliance on Russian gas and coal• The increase in gas and power prices and the impact on gas supply and demandSupport the show

EP.86 Kellie Metcalf, Managing Partner, Energy Transition at EnCap Investments

In this episode, our CEO John Feddersen is talking to Kellie Metcalf, Managing Partner at one of the leading energy transition investors - EnCap Investments. Kellie had a long and distinguished career in the power sector. She was a Senior Director at Pattern Development, a renewable energy and transmission development firm and held senior roles in power marketing and origination at Barclays and Fortis Bank. She began her career in 1995 at Enron North America and before her business career, Kellie was a First Lieutenant in the US Army. Kellie and John discuss:•The importance of a trading background for a C-suite of an electricity utility•The impact of the power crises in the US on the process of electricity market liberalisation •ESG investing and where are we in measuring and evaluating ESG performance of companies and investment fundsSupport the show

EP.85 Laura Sandys, Non-Executive Director at SGN & Energy Systems Catapult

This week on Energy Unplugged we focus on energy data and digitalization. Our Managing Director for UK and Ireland, Dan Monzani is delighted to be joined by Laura Sandys, Non-Executive Director at SGN and at the Energy Systems Catapult.With a diverse career in energy and consumer’s rights, Laura has recently chaired two of the UK Government taskforces, one on energy data and the Energy Digitalization Taskforce which was recently launched by BEIS with the purpose to continue the Government’s focus on modernising the energy system.Dan and Laura discuss:•What would a world class digital energy system look like •The main recommendations on data and the progress made since 2019 plus the recent recommendations on digitalisation •The benefits of interoperability across the system•The need to rethink the role of the retail market as part of Net ZeroNext week we will welcome Kellie Metcalf, Managing Partner, Energy Transition at EnCap Investments. Stay tuned!Support the show

EP.84 Pat Wood, III, Former FERC Chairman, CEO at Hunt Energy Network

In this episode, our CEO John Feddersen is joined by Pat Wood, III, former FERC Chairman and CEO at Hunt Energy Network. With a distinguished career in energy and the public service, Pat has served as Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the US under President George W. Bush, and of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT). He holds a B.S. degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.John & Pat discuss:* The role of the federal government in driving the push towards an increasingly clean, affordable and reliable power system* The biggest impediment to Biden’s plan to decarbonise the power grid by 2035* The potential for batteries in the US power gridNext week on Energy Unplugged we will welcome Laura Sandys, Chair of the UK Government Energy Digitalisation Taskforce. Stay tuned!Support the show

EP.83 Louise Kingham, Senior Vice President for Europe & UK Head of Country at BP

In this episode, our Managing Director for UK and Ireland, Dan Monzani speaks to Louise Kingham, Senior Vice President for Europe & UK Head of Country at BP.Prior to joining BP in May 2021, Louise was the CEO of the Energy Institute for more than 20 years, role in which she had a unique broad perspective across the energy transition. Louise is one of the sixteen CEOs on the Energy Leaders’ Coalition, organised by Powerful Women, a major professional initiative that seeks to promote the growth and leadership development of women across the energy sector. Dan and Louise discuss:* Affordability across Europe and how governments should manage the massive impact of rising energy prices on those on the lowest incomes* BP's committment to reach Net Zero by 2050 and their focus to help the world get there too* The most likely use cases for hydrogen, where is most likely to be a cost effective part of the transition and BP's new partnership with Aberdeen City Council * Whether we are on track for the 40GW of offshore wind by 2030 target and what do we need to do to hit thatNext week on Energy Unplugged we will welcome Pat Wood, III, CEO at Hunt Energy Network. Stay tuned!Support the show

EP.82 Sam Arie, Head of European Utilities at UBS & Evangelos Gazis, Project Leader at Aurora

In this episode, we’re taking a global perspective on the energy transition having as guests two experts in the field. Our Principal Benjamin Collie is joined by Sam Arie, Head of European Utilities Equity Research at UBS and Evangelos Gazis, Project Leader and Market Lead for South Eastern Europe at Aurora. Aurora and UBS worked together in the last few years in preparing a report on the state of the global energy transition with focus on emissions from the power sector. Main topics of the podcast include:•The scale of the challenge for investing to decarbonise•How much capital is needed to decarbonise some of the most difficult sectors and what are the implications for the global economy•The levels of carbon prices that might be needed across the economy to achieve the targets •The progress made at COP26 and the most likely next steps to be made by COP27Next week on Energy Unplugged we will welcome Louise Kingham, Senior Vice President for Europe and Head of Country in the UK at BP. Stay tuned!Support the show

EP.81 Trudy Harrison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport

This week on Energy Unplugged, we discuss about how to decarbonize transport with Trudy Harrison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport, in an episode hosted by our Research Director, Richard Howard. Trudy was appointed in the current role on 17 September 2021 and she was elected Conservative MP for Copeland in 2017. Her career outside politics includes working for Sellafield nuclear site and in renewable energy and sustainable community projects.Richard and Trudy discuss:•How does a Net Zero system need to look like and what are the key enabling technologies•What does government need to do to accelerate this shift •How do we ensure that the costs and fiscal impacts of this transition are manageableNext week we will welcome Sam Arie, Research Analyst at UBS. Stay tuned!Support the show

EP.80 Tony Cocker, Senior Independent Director of SSE plc

In this episode, our CEO John Feddersen is joined by Tony Cocker, Senior Independent Director of SSE plc. Tony is also Chair of Infinis Energy Management Ltd, a distributed power generator. Between 1996-2017 he worked for E.ON SE and Powergen in a number of roles, including Chair and CEO of E.ON UK and Chair and CEO of E.ON Energy Trading SE.John and Tony discuss:•The change in the role of a director in the renewables space•The future of the British retail power market•Reforms needed to most ease the transition to Net Zero•SSE as a major sponsor of COP26Next week on Energy Unplugged we will welcome Trudy Harrison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. Stay tuned!Support the show

EP.79 Farhad Billimoria, Energy Systems Researcher, Energy & Power Group, University of Oxford

In this episode, our Managing Director in Australia Hugo Batten speaks to Farhad Billimoria, Energy Systems Researcher, Energy & Power Group at the University of Oxford and Rowan von Spreckelsen, Principal in our Sydney office. Farhard is currently completing his PhD on energy markets in Oxford and he has worked for Australia’s system operator AEMO, Mercer, CalPERS and AMP Capital Investors. The focus of the discussion is around the Australian energy market and incentive structures to bring on new renewables and firming capacity. Main topics include:•The major challenges and opportunities for renewables and storage investment in Australia•Market design reforms and incentive structures shifting through renewables•The New South Wales Government contracts structures, key components and implications for market participantsNext week on Energy Unplugged we will welcome Tony Cocker, Senior Independent Director of SSE plc. Stay tuned!Support the show