Energy Unplugged by Aurora

EP.181 Andy Bowman on Renewables in the US

On this episode of Energy Unplugged, we are delighted to welcome Andy Bowman, Founder & CEO of Jupiter Power, discussing renewables in the US with our Managing Director for North America, Oliver Kerr.Over his 25-year career in renewables, Andy has had executive responsibility for more than 3,600 MW of wind and solar projects and 1,400 MWh of energy storage projects which are currently operational or under construction. Prior to founding and managing Jupiter Power, he was CEO and founder of Pioneer Green Energy, Chief Development Officer at E.On Climate & Renewables, SVP Development at Airtricity, and CEO and founder of Renewable Generation Inc. Notably, he is also the author of “The West Texas Power Plant That Saved the World.”Main topics include the following:The role of capital and infrastructure in both creating and combating climate changeThe role of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and industrial policy in supporting domestic labour and manufacturingThe US battery storage marketSupport the show

EP.180 Craig Francis on Renewables & Storage Development in Australia

On this episode of Energy Unplugged, we are delighted to welcome Craig Francis, CEO of Genex Power, discussing renewables and storage development in the Australian market with our Managing Director for APAC and California, Hugo Batten, and our Research Lead for Australia, James Ha. Craig is an experienced leader with a career spanning over 15 years in financial markets as well as a deep knowledge of the energy sector. He joined Genex in 2017 to lead the commercial development of the Company’s portfolio, being appointed CFO in 2021, and CEO in 2023. Prior to Genex, Craig was part of the corporate finance team at Cantor Fitzgerald Europe in the UK, where he focused on advising clients in the energy and natural resources sectors. He also worked at RFC Ambrian and Helmsec Global Capital. Main topics include the following:• Pumped hydro in Australia and its economics• The renewable and storage development landscape in the National Electricity Market (NEM)• Policy and market frameworks in AustraliaSupport the show

EP.179 Aurora Experts on our European Battery Markets Attractiveness Report

On this week’s Energy Unplugged episode, Ryan Alexander, our Research Lead for European Power Markets, welcomes our colleagues Eva Zimmermann, Associate and Lead for Flexible Energy and Guillermo Ríos, Research Analytics Associate, to disclose the main insights from our European Battery Markets Attractiveness Report.Europe is an immensely promising region for investment in batteries, driven by ambitious decarbonisation targets and projected exponential growth in renewables. Make the most of this booming market with the 3rd edition of the European Battery Markets Attractiveness Report releasing next week! This highly anticipated report provides insights on investment trends, policy environments, value drivers, and project economics, helping you conduct initial market scanning to identify the most attractive European markets for investment in batteries.Key topics include the following:Identifying the top three markets in Europe, the reasons behind their prominence, and Germany's standing in comparison.What were the main regulatory changes in Europe over the last year, and what do they mean for developers and investors?Battery economics, including the consequences of participating in auctions and the costs of supply chains issues.Support the show

EP.178 Ralph Johnson on Battery Storage Optimisation

This week on Energy Unplugged, Ralph Johnson, Head of UK Business Development, Habitat Energy discusses battery storage optimisation in GB and globally with our Global Software Solutions Director, Mateusz Wronski.Ralph is responsible for originating and managing Habitat Energy’s strategic partnerships in the UK. He is an expert in battery storage and brings over 15 years of experience working in the energy sector. Previously, Ralph held senior positions at Reactive Technologies and EDF, where he worked across supply-side, renewables, pricing, risk and financial modelling.Main topics include the following:• What is a good battery optimiser?• Strategies of battery asset owners• The future of the battery market: optimisers, asset owners, and market saturation & reformsSupport the show

EP.177 Michael Terrell, Sr. Director for Energy and Climate, Google

On this episode of Energy Unplugged, we are delighted to welcome Michael Terrell, Senior Director for Energy and Climate, Google, for a discussion with Oliver Kerr, our Head of North America, focusing on “the 24/7 goal”.Michael leads Google’s efforts to decarbonise its global operations and value chain. In his previous role as Global Director of Energy, he spearheaded the company’s commitment to operate on 24/7 carbon free energy by 2030. Additionally, Michael serves as Board Chair of the Clean Energy Buyers Alliance (CEBA), which he co-founded in 2018. Prior to joining Google, he served in the US government, including at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Main topics include the following:• Power consumption of data centres and the role of machine learning and flexibility• What does the 24/7 goal mean and what are the pros and cons associated with making it achievable?• Insights into upcoming developments on the policy side of the energy landscapeSupport the show

EP.176 James Johnston, CEO and Co-Founder, Piclo

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, James Johnston, CEO & Co-Founder of Piclo, engages in a discussion with Matteo Coriglioni, our Head of Italy, and Eva Zimmermann, Associate at Aurora. Together, they delve into the roles that flexibility and the deployment of new flexible technologies play as two of the key enabling factors for the energy transition.James, who initiated his career with three years of microgrid research at the University of Strathclyde, co-founded Solar Sketch in 2009—a design company for the solar industry. He also gained experience at the international engineering firm Arup. In 2013, James co-founded Piclo, the leading marketplace for flexibility services. The platform has been steadily expanding its presence across the UK, Europe, and the USA. James is recognised as a sought-after expert and published author, contributing chapters to academic books on peer-to-peer energy and local flexibility trading.Main topics include the following:•Why are flexibility and flexibility analysis crucial right now?•Are grid constraints more of an opportunity or of a bottleneck for flexibility assets development?•How are Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and Distribution System Operators (DSOs) coordinating, and how can they improve their level of coordination?Support the show

EP.175 Pascale Courcelle on the new French PPA guarantee scheme

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, Pascale Courcelle, Director of Real Estate and Energy Environment Financing at Bpifrance, engages in a discussion with our Head of France, Pierre Denery, and our Co-Head of Advisory for Central Europe, Thekla von Bülow. The conversation focuses on the Renewable Electricity Guarantee Fund (GER), a guarantee fund for Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) launched in France in September 2023.Pascale began her career as a business manager in Brittany and later joined the credit committee of the bank’s head office, specialising in property financing for companies in the Ile de France region. When Bpi was established in 2012, she had already joined the renewable energy project financing team, eventually being appointed Director of Real Estate and Energy Environment Financing in 2017. Additionally, she serves as the Vice-president of the Financial Lease Commission (ASF) and is behind the creation of the GER.Main topics include the following:• Which parties can benefit from the GER and what criteria are used to assess which producers and projects should receive funding?• How is the PPA price calculated, and what proportion of it is covered by the GER?• How does the GER compare with other PPA funds already established in European countries like Spain and Norway?Support the show

EP.174 Gunter Erfurt, CEO, Meyer Burger

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, Gunter Erfurt, CEO, Meyer Burger engages in a discussion with Hanns Koenig, our Managing Director for Central Europe, with focus on the European solar industry.Before becoming the CEO of Meyer Burger, Gunter held the position of both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, as well as managerial positions in other companies in the solar industry. He holds a Diploma in Engineering Physics from the University of Applied Sciences Zwickau, and Degree in Physics and a PhD in Physics, both from the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg.Main topics include the following:• Dependence of Europe’s solar industry on imports, and how is China dominating• Subsidies for solar in China• Renewables manufacturing reshoring in Europe, compared to other countries such as China, India, or the USSupport the show

EP.173 Dalia Majumder-Russell, Partner, CMS on the Latest Hydrogen Auctions

In this Energy Unplugged episode, Dalia Majumder-Russell, Partner at CMS, engages in a discussion with Emma Woodward, our European Hydrogen Market Lead, focusing on key announcements made recently, that will drive forward the development of a hydrogen economy. Particularly, focusing on the recent announcements made by the Department of Net Zero & Energy Security (DESNZ).Dalia is a partner in CMS’s Energy team in London, with over 10 years’ experience advising a wide range investors, developers, utilities, lenders and governments on energy projects and infrastructure, including negotiating gas and hydrogen offtake agreements and advising on carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) projects in the UK and internationally. Dalia is also a member of a number of expert groups focused on developing hydrogen policies.Main topics include the following:• Recent hydrogen auctions in GB & Denmark• European policy support for hydrogen investment• Hydrogen transport & storage business models in GB and in comparison to other countriesSupport the show

EP.172 Igor Fonseca, Head of Power, Project Finance, Santander

This week on Energy Unplugged, Igor Fonseca, Head of Power, Santander Brazil Project Finance discusses project finance in Brazil’s power sector with our Founder & CEO, John Feddersen.Over the past 11 years, Igor has worked within Santander’s Project Finance team following his positions at HSBC and Credit Agricole. At Santander, Igor has been covering the Power sector, executing and arranging several financial advisory mandates. This has amounted to investments over USD 10 billion and a total installed capacity over 20 GW, including large hydros, gas-fired thermal power plants, wind farms, small hydros, photovoltaic and concentrated solar power plants in Brazil.Main topics include the following:• Project finance in Brazil• The impact of the shift to the free market and the green transition plan on project financing and investment in Brazil• Key risks for Brazilian power projectsSupport the show