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: Gabriel Power - UK Reporter, Montel News

Guest: Mark Simmers - CEO, Celtic Renewables

Editor: Oscar Birk

Producer: Sarah Knowles

Subscribe to the podcast on our website, via Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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 work with member states who oppose the ban. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Contributor: Fatima Sadouki - Brussel's Reporter, Montel News
Guest: Dan Jorgensen - European Commissioner for Energy

Editor: Oscar Birk
Producer: Sarah Knowles

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 rebound in the next few years, why Germany's declining industrial gas consumption puts downward pressure on long-term demand into Europe. But there is a note of caution as structural challenges in the US LNG construction industry are likely to  cause supply delays. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Contributor: Laurence Walker - Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Guests: 

Henning Gloystein - Managing Director of Energy and Resources, Eurasia Group. 

Saul Kavonic - Head of Energy Research, MST Financial.

Editor: Oscar Birk

Producer: Sarah Knowles

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 countries, and why expectations surrounding COP's effectiveness as a mechanism for change are dwindling. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Cem Bektas - Carbon Reporter, Montel News

Guest: Lord Adair Turner - Chairman, Energy Transitions Commission

Editor: Oscar Birk
Producer: Sarah Knowles

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 the country’s economy?

In this episode, Richard speaks to Dr. Claudia Kemfert about the current sentiment towards the  coalition government. In  addition, what doed its plans to tender 10GW of predominantly gas-fired power plants says about Germany's commitment to the green energy transition?

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Christian Driessen - Germany Editor, Montel News

Guest: Dr. Claudia Kemfert - Professor of Energy Economics and Energy Policy at Leuphana University Lüneburg, and Head of the Energy, Transportation and Environment Department at the German Institute for Economic Research

Editor: Oscar Birk Hellenes
Producer: Sarah Knowles

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 electricity when it’s cheap and not when it’s expensive? What are the real consequences?

In this episode, Richard sits down with Afry Director, Stephen Woodhouse, at Montel's Energy Day in London to talk about whether the push for “clean power by 2030” can deliver cheap power, what changes are needed to deliver more private investment and how political and geopolitical shifts have reshaped costs and policy objectives.

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Laurence Walker - Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Guest: Stephen Woodhouse - Director, Afry

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

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-reaching consequences for the GO market? 

In this episode, Richard sits down with experts in Amsterdam to discuss the proposed updates to the GHG Protocol, and what these changes mean for renewable energy markets and corporate sustainability reporting.

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Alina Trabattoni - Italy Reporter, Montel News

Guests: 
Killian Daly - Executive Director, EnergyTag
Carolyn Addy - Head of Commercial, Renewable

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

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. What solutions does Europe need to deploy in order to cope with the rollout of high-speed EV charging stations?

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Gert Ove Mollestad - Norway Editor, Montel News

Guests:

Wenche Teigland - CEO, Fount
Shan Tomouk - BESS and Energy Research Lead, Benchmark Minerals Intelligence

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

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 geopolitical situation?

In this episode, Richard sits down with the London Stock Exchange Group to discuss several potential seasonal scenarios and the key market drivers for the months ahead. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Laurence Walker - Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Guest: Wayne Bryan - Research Principal, London Stock Exchange Group

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

Long-term renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been in steady decline across parts of Europe, thanks to low wholesale prices and a volatile market. Yet some short-term standardised PPA products have seen encouraging uptake — could those be a blueprint to restart the broader market? 

Richard speaks with German trading company FlexPower about pricing dynamics, contract structure and risk allocation. Listen to a wider discussion on the key factors behind the success of recent moves to standardise PPAs and the practical and cultural barriers that remain. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Contributor: Kelly Paul - Reporter, Montel News
Guest: Amani Joas - Managing Director, FlexPower

Editors: Oscar Birk
Producer: Sarah Knowles

April's huge blackout across the Iberian peninsula, and parts of France, triggered a storm of debate In Spain and more widely across Europe. Despite the publication of several reports, questions remain over the cause of the outage, what lessons the country’s power system has learned from it and how to strengthen grid resilience,

In this episode, Richard Sverrisson speaks to local experts to unravel the findings of a recent report into the outage, the reaction from grid operators, and how the industry is adapting in the aftermath. The discussion explores how Spain’s TSO has shifted into a ‘safe mode’, the renewed reliance on gas generation, and why distributed assets and batteries could hold the key to grid stability in the years ahead.

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Pablo Bronte - Spain Editor, Montel News

Guests:
Christina Rentell - Research Lead, Aurora Energy Research
Daniel Garasa Sagardoy - Europe Solar Analyst, Wood Mackenzie

Editor: Oscar Birk Hellenes
Producer: Sarah Knowles

The new 15-minute day-ahead auctions went live this week, marking one of the most significant changes in the European power market to date.

In this episode - recorded 48 hours after the first auction - Richard reviews the launch with senior commentators from power exchange Nord Pool, Energy Traders Europe, and Montel Analytics.

They discuss how market participants across Europe have fared under the switch to this new time resolution and why many expect market prices to continue to be volatile amid the complex new granularity.

What does the data on trade volumes from the first 48 hours tell us, and who is the new mechanism is likely to attract?

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Gert Ove Mollestad - Norway Editor, Montel News

Guests:
Hans Randen - Executive Vice President for Public Affairs, Nord Pool
Jerome Le Page - Chair of the Electricity Committee, Energy Traders Europe
Jean-Paul Harreman - Director, Montel Analytics

Editors: Oscar Birk
Producer: Sarah Knowles

Last week, the UK Prime Minister was the latest leader in Europe to announce his commitment to nuclear energy production by announcing plans to build "a fleet" of small modular reactors (SMRs). The UK's announcement followed similar plans elsewhere in Europe over the last year.

Why are we seeing the focus shift from larger nuclear plants to small modular reactors?

In this episode, Richard speaks to Rolls Royce to understand the tech behind SMRs, the role they can play in reduce dependance on fossil fuels, and why they could prove to be an economically viable option for Europe's rollout of nuclear energy. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Chris Eales - France Editor, Montel News

Guest: Sophie Macfarlane-Smith - Head of Customer Engagement, Rolls Royce SMR

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

Earlier this week, Europe’s benchmark carbon price climbed by over 1 EUR to reach a seven-month high. Could it continue to rise? 

As companies across the EU rush to meet the EU ETS deadline on the 30th September, investment funds’ increase their net long exposure in EU carbon allowances and lower supply could drive the price of EUAs higher. 

In this episode, Richard speaks to Veyt's Carbon Analyst about why the industry expects a tight carbon market next year, and what impact the reduced allowance thresholds and the introduction of CBAM will have on prices. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Contributor: Cem Bektas - Carbon Reporter, Montel News
Guests: Ingvild Sørhus - Manager of EU Carbon Analysis, Veyt

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

The US-EU USD 750bn energy deal announced at the end of July left many observers scratching their heads, not least because of the eye watering sums involved. However, European heavy industry, steel and aluminium in particular, were left facing a 50% US import tariff. 

The uncertainty for Europe's steel and aluminium companies has prompted issues of "scrap leakage" and imports of material from countries outside Europe, with producers struggling to remain competitive against Chinese overcapacity. 

Why were Europe's heavy industries left out of negotiations for lower tariffs, and is this the final nail in the coffin for these industrial sectors?

In this episode, Richard speaks to the European Steel Association and European Aluminium about what their industries needs from the European Commission to ensure their survival. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Fatima Sadouki - Brussels Reporter, Montel News

Guests:
Paul Voss - Director General, European Aluminium
Axel Eggert - Director General, EUROFER

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

In March 2025, the balancing price in all of the Swedish price zones crashed to the technical floor of EUR -10,000/MWh - setting off a trend of volatile prices and turbulent balancing markets in the Nordics.

Six months on, small producers and certain market actors in the region are struggling to navigate a complex system and differing responses from TSOs across the region, with many market participants calling out for change.

In this episode, Richard speaks to Nordic market experts about why the changes introduced this year are proving problematic and puts important questions to the Danish TSO.

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Elias Huuhtanen - Finland Reporter, Montel News

Guests: 
Kia Marie Jerichau - Vice President, Energinet 
Matthew Creese - Head of Market Operations for Wind and Solar, Aneo
Priyanka Shinde - Nordic Market Expert, Montel Analytics

Editor: Oscar Birk
Producer: Sarah Knowles

Volatile prices, falling liquidity and declining profitability are some of the many headwinds the Nordic power market faces in the months ahead.

In addition, could political meddling create more damage to the highly complex and problematic market? And why are public misunderstandings about the issue fuelling political debate?

In this episode, Richard speaks to our guests at the Montel Nordic Energy Day in Oslo. They discuss why a free and competitive market is still the best solution, and they explain the changes that need to be made to the market design in order for it to function better. 

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Olav Vilnes - Nordic Editor, Montel News

Guests: Kolbjørn Hembre, CEO at Entelios & Fredrik Bodecker, CEO at Bodecker Partners

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles
Videographer: Oscar Birk

According to a recent report from Montel Analytics, the UK and Ireland curtailed GBP 152m of renewable energy in the first half of 2025.

Is this counter productive to the UK’s green and clean energy goals? Who foots the bill? Is the lack of adequate infrastructure in Europe’s grid hindering the green energy transition?

In this episode, Richard speaks to the author of the report and Renewable UK about how much curtailment is costing the industry, how it’s affecting investments in wind power projects and why batteries are essential in storing excess green energy production

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Gabriel Power - UK Reporter, Montel News

Guests: Fintan Devenney - Senior Energy Analyst, Montel & Barnaby Wharton - Director of Future Electricity Systems, RenewableUK

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

Temperatures reached 40C across Europe this week in the latest of several heatwaves which have engulfed the continent this summer.  

In response, power prices soared in many regions, with countries like France curbing nuclear power production because rivers – used for cooling purposes –  became too warm.

In this week’s episode, Richard discuss the impact of rising temperatures on power production, consumption and prices. How can Europe futureproof its power market from extreme weather conditions?

Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Julia Demirdag - News correspondent, Montel News

Guests:
Robin Girmes -  Managing Director, Energy Weather
Pawel Czyzak - Europe Programme Director, Ember

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles 

It’s been 10 years since the Paris Climate Agreement entered intro force. Yet, tariffs, trade wars, and the reversal of the US’s climate policies are putting the global energy transition at risk. 

 Where does this leave the relationship between the EU, the US, and other global trading partners? And should Europe’s solar and wind developers shun Chinese products?

 In this week’s episode, Richard speaks to Lord Adair Turner - Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission about carbon pricing, the cost of the energy transition, and China’s influence in the future of green energy. 

 Presenter: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
 Contributor: Cem Bektas - Carbon correspondent, Montel News
 Guest: Lord Adair Turner - Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission
 Editors: Bled Maliqi, Oscar Birk
 Producer: Sarah Knowles

This is the fifth episode of Plugged In’s five-part CEO summer series, where Richard interviews prominent leaders in Europe’s energy sector. 

In this final special episode, Richard speaks to Dr Annegret Groebel, President of the Council of European Energy Regulators and Director of International Relations at the German Regulatory Authority, BNetzA. 

They talk about the challenges with energy regulation in 2025, and what the next move is for Germany and its bidding zones. 

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Guest: Dr Annegret Groebel - President of the Council of European Energy Regulators & Director of International Relations at BNetzA

Editors: Bled Maliqi, Sarah Knowles

Producer: Sarah Knowles

This is the fourth episode of Plugged In’s five-part CEO summer series, where Richard interviews prominent leaders in Europe’s energy sector. 

In this episode, Richard sits down with Jarand Rystad, CEO and Founder of energy research and intelligence company, Rystad Energy.

They talk about the changes in China’s oil demand, the production - or lack - of hydrogen, and the challenges with battery and solar power in Europe.

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Guest: Jarand Rystad - CEO and Founder, Rystad Energy

Editors: Bled Maliqi, Sarah Knowles

Producer: Sarah Knowles

This is the third episode of Plugged In’s five-part CEO summer series, where Richard interviews prominent leaders in Europe’s energy sector. 

In this episode, Richard speaks to Asta Sihvonen-Punkka, CEO of Finnish TSO, Fingrid. 

They discuss the ongoing issues with balancing Finland’s power market, the oversupply of renewable energy in the Nordics, and the future of Finland’s nuclear energy programme. 

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Guest: Asta Sihvonen-Punkka - CEO, Fingrid

Editors: Bled Maliqi, Sarah Knowles

Producer: Sarah Knowles

This is the second episode of Plugged In’s five-part CEO summer series, where Richard interviews prominent leaders in Europe’s energy sector. 

In this episode, Richard interviews Leonhard Birnbaum, CEO of Eon, about Europe’s power market. 

They discuss the boom in renewable energy, the issues surrounding security of supply, and the importance of investing in Europe’s grid infrastructure. 

Presenter: Richard Sverisson - Editor-in-Chief 

Guest: Leonhard Birnbaum - CEO of Eon

Editors: Bled Maliqi, Sarah Knowles

Producer: Sarah Knowles

This is the first episode of Plugged In’s five-part CEO summer series, where Richard interviews prominent leaders in Europe’s energy sector. 

In this episode, Richard speaks to Dhara Vyas, CEO of Energy UK about the state of the UK’s energy sector one year on from the Labour government coming into power. 

They discuss the UK’s renewable energy targets, the UK government’s green energy policies, and the problem of rising energy prices. 

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief 

Guest: Dhara Vyas - CEO of Energy UK

Editors: Bled Maliqi, Sarah Knowles

Producer: Sarah Knowles