Montel Weekly

Europe’s TSOs will remain vigilant over the months to come in order to keep the lights on and the power system secure amid unprecedented falls in demand as well as growing output from renewables. Listen to a discussion on digitalisation, accelerating the permitting process and the complicated but necessary task of incorporating decentralised, distributed energy. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel, Guest: Pascale  Fonck, Vice Chair of the Board, Entso-E and Chief Officer External Relations, Elia. 

All market participants should work together to ensure the electricity system works efficiently and stays afloat, says Auke Lont. This week’s pod discusses low prices, key interconnectors, bidding zones and the importance of maintaining transparent, liquid wholesale energy markets. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel, Guest: Auke Lont, CEO, Statnett. 

Direct prohibition of the use of fossil fuels will be necessary in order to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement, says Rana Adib of REN 21. This week’s pod discusses how other sectors should emulate the “extraordinary success” of renewable electricity and how short term measures must accompany long term targets for green energy.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Rana Adib, Executive Director, REN 21.

Nordic wholesale power prices are unlikely to return to levels around EUR 40/MWh as delivered last year. This week’s episode welcomes back Marius Holm Rennesund with a discussion on the outlook for prices over the coming months and years, with prices expected to stay low with demand side measures and batteries assuming a greater role. Rennesund also provides his view of the future development for PPAs in the region. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Marius Holm Rennesund, Partner, Thema Consulting, Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel.

The recent EU recovery fund should help to propel the continent into a greener, cleaner post Covid-19 world. This week’s episode welcomes Susanne Nies who discusses the outlook for electricity demand in Europe, the importance of smart networks as well as insights in to the political bubble of Brussels. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel, Guest: Susanne Nies, Country Manager Germany, Smart Wires. 

EDF sent shockwaves through Europe’s power and gas markets when it forecast a 20% drop in nuclear output this year due to the coronavirus pandemic crimping demand. The crisis also forced France’s biggest power utility to overhaul its reactor maintenance schedule. This week’s pod discusses “modulation” outages and a possible shortfall in supply from September. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Emeric de Vigan, CEO and Founder of Core-e,Chris Eales, Editor France, Montel. 

Global gas demand will remain subdued for the remainder of the year amid a continuing supply glut. With much of the continent’s piped gas continuing to flow in large volumes and storage facilities reaching full capacity, LNG will have to take the slack, says Carlos Torres Diaz of Rystad Energy. This week’s episode discusses the options open for LNG players and the outlook for the gas sector in the medium to long-term. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest:Carlos Torres Diaz, Head of Gas and Power Markets Research, Rystad Energy. 

The Nordic region could see the return negative prices amid lingering oversupply, wet weather and delayed snowmelt over the coming weeks. Yet elsewhere in continental Europe will see far lower output from hydropower amid drier conditions. This week’s episode sees the return of Mr Hydrology, aka Eylert Ellefsen, who also discusses how soon we will return to pre-Covid power demand levels. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Eylert Ellefsen, Senior Analyst, Energy Quantified. 

Nordic power prices will recover faster than many people think, but a weak gas market will limit the upside. This week’s episode discusses the way in which the region’s wind power sector is ready to race ahead, and how working from home may see some traders actually thriving away from the social distractions of the office. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Fredrik Bodecker, CEO, Bodecker Partners. 

Prices in the EU carbon market are set to remain highly volatile over the coming months, driven mostly by restrictive measures to halt the spread of Covid-19. Listen to a discussion on the outlook for prices, key fundamental factors and whether speculators will return this year. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Bernadett Papp, Senior Market Analyst, Vertis. 

The oil market is getting messy, with producers struggling to cut in line with plunging demand and bulging inventories. This week’s episode discusses how we are no longer “masters of the universe” and how misplaced optimism may see oil prices remaining stagnant for the remainder of the year. At least. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Bjarne Schieldrop, Chief Analyst Commodities, SEB.

The Covid-19 outbreak has ground the wheels of EU legislative processes to a halt, but later this year the bloc’s executive will table a flurry of fresh proposals. Listen to a discussion on the European Commission’s Green Deal, and whether the coronavirus will brake or accelerate the continent’s decarbonisation. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Øyvind Vessia, Head of European Affairs, Ørsted. 

Amid a backdrop of tumbling European wholesale gas prices, this week’s episode takes a look at the multiple bearish factors overwhelming the market. Find out what the “bearish” cherry is and listen to a discussion on where the price floor could be, and how and when prices could recover. For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit our daily extra at covid19.montelnews.com. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Wayne Bryan, Director, European Gas Research, Refinitiv. 

This week’s episode takes a look at the Baltic market and plans to decarbonise the region by rolling out small modular reactors. Listen to a discussion on how small-scale nuclear could be commercially viable at much lower cost than current projects in France, Finland and the UK. For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit our daily extra at covid19.montelnews.com.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Kalev Kallemets, CEO of Fermi Energia. 

Away from the drama and uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 virus outbreak, we take a close look at France’s nuclear fleet and discuss how production this year could fall to multi-year lows. For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit covid19.montelnews.com. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Chris Eales, Editor France, Montel. 

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) continue to grow across Europe as renewables subsidies get phased out and companies look to reduce their carbon footprint.Listen to a discussion on the outlook for PPAs, and how in the Nordics firms are increasingly using them as hedging instruments, often signing “baseload” deals. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Kathrine Bakke of Afry, Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel.

Gas is quickly becoming a global commodity, but the fuel has also become a pawn in a game of geopolitics between large gas producing countries. This week’s pod looks at the politics of gas as well as its fundamental drivers and competition, and the need to decarbonise the sector. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Karen Sund of Sund Energy. 

Ahead of the EC publication of its Climate Law next week, this week’s pod discusses the implications for Europe’s energy sector. Listen to a discussion on carbon border taxes, sector coupling,ETS reform and decarbonising gas. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Catherine Banet, Associate Professor in Energy Law,University of Oslo. 

The rapid growth of renewables over the coming years will increase the need for PPAs and related products. This week we discuss what the changes mean for an energy exchange – is the difference between peak and baseload still relevant? Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Peter Reitz, CEO European Energy Exchange. 

Europe is set to fully decarbonise its energy system by 2050, with a huge impact on the way electricity is produced and consumed. This week’s pod takes a peek into the brave new energy world,and discusses flexibility, aggregation and the future of trading. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Matthias Dilthey, General Manager DACH, Sonnen, Jan Aengenvoort, Head of Communications and Market Research, Next Kraftwerke, Richard Sarti, Director Marketing and Sales, Nodes.