Plugged In: the energy news podcast
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 Thursday.
Episodes
364 episodes
How many wake up calls does Europe need?
The US-Israeli led war in Iran and the prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is once again exposing Europe’s vulnerability to global energy shocks; raising urgent questions about gas storage, LNG dependency and whether governments have l...
Celebrating curtailment: Are negative prices really that bad?
Negative power prices are becoming increasingly commonplace in Europe’s electricity markets. With solar generation soaring and renewable buildout accelerating, Europe’s power systems are increasingly producing more electricit...
Snorkelling for negative prices
Norway - and the Nordic power system more generally - have seen fewer instances of negative prices than their continental counterparts in recent weeks. Why has the region been “snorkelling” while others have been plumbing the depths of negative...
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Gas storage: Complacency or Crunch?
Europe may have emerged from winter without a full-scale gas crisis; but with storage levels unusually low, geopolitical tensions rising, and summer-winter price spreads offering little commercial incentive, the real challenge may only just be ...
Reshaping French energy
From the streets of Paris to the heart of Europe’s energy regulation, this episode explores how geopolitics, market design and infrastructure are reshaping France’s - and the continent’s - energy future.As tensions in the Gulf ripp...
“Strange” prices rattle Europe's power markets
Across Europe, power prices are behaving in ways that are leaving even seasoned market participants questioning what they’re seeing. From negative prices to seemingly counterintuitive flows between some price zones, the electricity system is be...
Gulf Ceasefire: fragile or firm?
A fragile ceasefire in the Gulf offers a moment of relief; but is it already beginning to unravel and will it have lasting implications for gas supply in the region and far beyond?Recorded on the morning of April 9, amid fast-movin...
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PPA slowdown – temporary or permanent?
In this episode of Plugged In, we return to Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and their role in Europe’s energy transition.After years of rapid expansion, the PPA market hit a slowdown in 2025. Falling capture rates, rising negative price...
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Coal makes a comeback
In this episode of Plugged In, we turn to a topic we haven’t covered often; but one that’s rapidly moving back into the spotlight: coal.As war in the Middle East disrupts LNG supply chains and drives gas prices sharply higher, E...
Another Power Squeeze?
In the third episode of our energy crisis miniseries, we turn to Europe’s power markets, where rising gas prices, renewed volatility and political uncertainty are once again putting the electricity system under pressure.Although the curr...
A New Gas Shock?
*** This episode was recorded on Wednesday before attacks on Qatari and Iranian energy infrastructure. But the message from the guests is still highly relevant - the wholesale gas market has not fully priced in the geopolitical risk premium.&nb...
A fresh energy crisis?
As wholesale markets remain nervous and volatile, there are renewed calls for policymakers to intervene to shield large energy users from spiking prices. But are markets failing? And could ill-conceived, knee-jerk interventions disrupt the EU’s...
Italy's carbon reform and the ETS decree
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 ca...
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.
Ukraine 4 years on: Destruction, Resilience and decentralisation
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 h...
Nordic power market competition heats up
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 regulat...
A geopolitical state of emergency?
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...
Norway's looming "supply squeeze"
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...
Rewiring Europe - will offshore wind be a "winner"?
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 ...
The Greenland play
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 reta...
Iceland geothermal: Engineering calm in a volcanic storm
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 th...
The 'Donroe doctrine' and the new world order
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 Preside...
A new year for Europe's energy sector
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...
Drink whisky, help save the planet - fuelling the energy transition
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...
Russian gas? “No, never again” says EU Energy Commissioner
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?
