Montel Weekly

Contrary to expectations, potential German coal plant closures over the coming decade may not result in the cancellation of permits relative to their emissions. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Bernadett Papp, Senior Market Analyst, Vertis,Marcus Ferdinand, Head of EU Power and Carbon Analytics,Nora Kamprath Buli, Editor Germany, Montel. 

Imagine a world where you can trade power from your solar panel with others, linking households, neighbourhoods and regions through digital technology. Listen to a version of the future that is already happening in the Netherlands. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Philip Gladek, CEO, Spectral Energy.   

This week’s news of potential issues with steam generators at some of France’s nuclear reactors caused energy prices to skyrocket as market participants feared a return of problems seen in the autumn of 2016. Listen to the guests discuss the implications for France and its neighbours. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Kris Voorspools, Portfolio Manager, Anode Energie. Chris Eales, Editor France, Montel. 

European carbon prices are set to rise to EUR 45/t by the end of this year, according to Berenberg Bank. Listen to analyst Lawson Steele explain his reasons in this week’s pod. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest:Lawson Steele, Senior Utility Analyst, Berenberg Bank. 

In a bid to avoid turning into energy dinosaurs, European oil and gas majors are becoming increasingly active in the renewable sector. In this week’s pod Nordea analyst Thina Saltvedt discusses how these firms are investing in green energy in an attempt to diversify and decarbonise their business.Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Thina Saltvedt, Senior Analyst, Nordea Bank. Nora Kamprath Buli, Editor Germany, Montel. 

Recorded live at the Montel Nordic Energy Day, this week’s pod addresses key issues including the outlook for CO2 prices and developments in the Nordic region. Catch the opening snippets from the event, and then listen in to a deeper discussion about the main drivers in the carbon and Nordic power markets for the coming months. Will the switch to gas-fired generation be temporary, or more permanent?Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Ingvild Sørhus, Senior Analyst, EU Carbon Analysis, Refinitiv,Tor Reier Lilleholt, Head of Analysis, Wattsight. Conference moderators, Morten Hegna and Olav Vilnes, Montel. 

Gas is set to continue to push coal and lignite out of the power mix amid ample supply and carbon prices at a “new normal” level of EUR 30/t. Listen to the latest podcast and the discussion about the key drivers for Europe’s gas and power markets in the weeks and months ahead.Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Wayne Bryan, senior energy and commodity analyst, Alfa Energy, Paolo Coghe, president, Acousmatics. 

The Nordic region is set for a wet autumn if the weather forecasts are to be believed, and the front quarter contract has already fallen 15% since late July. As well as having umbrellas and raingear at the ready, the podders discuss other key issues market participants should keep an eye on in the coming months. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel, Morten Hegna, Sales And Events Director, Montel. 

Boris Johnson’s “do or die” Brexit pledge means the UK could crash out of the EU without a deal on 31 October. A bluff or not, the energy sector now faces more uncertainty and could lose an important transition period to finalise trading details, says Antony Froggatt of Chatham House. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest:Antony Froggatt, senior research fellow, Chatham House. 

The Montel Weekly returns this Friday! For the last time, let us take you back to one of the episode we did in spring. Do you remember the episode in which we discussed the protest against onshore wind turbines in Norway? The reasons behind the opposition and the country’s energy mix? Let us take you behind the scenes of the episode with Montel’s Gert Ove Mollestad and Marius Holm Rennesund, Partner at Theme Consulting group.

How about the episode with a super-insightful discussion about coal between Paolo Coghe, president of Acousmatics, and Laurence Walker, Coal Editor, Montel? Anna takes us behind the scenes of ‘King coal heads for the exit'. Hear the outlook for the dirty fuel and the key market developments to keep an eye on in the remainder of the year. 

Do you remember the episode in which we discussed the safety issues at France’s nuclear fleet and the country’s outlook for renewables? Let us take you behind the scenes of the episode with Yara Chakhtoura, Managing Director at Vattenfall Eolien, Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General at IRSN, Yves Marignac, Director at WISE-Paris, and Chris Eales, Editor France at Montel.

In the last episode we announced that the Montel Weekly goes on a summer break… but we have a small surprise for you!Anna takes us behind the scenes of the show, and shares a few thoughts about some of the twenty episodes we prepared in spring. Do you remember the episode with Sonia Dunlop, senior policy adviser at Solar Power Europe and Leah Charpentier, head of European regulatory and government affairs at First Solar?

The CEO of Belgian TSO Elia urges the country’s politicians to take steps to ensure the lights remain on after 2025. Belgium is currently “not ready to face that challenge”, Chris Peeters tells Montel, adding that technology such as blockchain will help balance the grid. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Chris Peeters, CEO of Elia. 

Executives at Europe’s most innovative energy technology (“Entech”) talk to Montel about the potential for blockchain to enable the next phase of the energy transition by integrating renewables as well as EVs and household appliances through blockchain and AI. How can regulation encourage innovation in the entech space? Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Ana Trbovich, co-founder and COO of Grid Singularity, Jo-Jo Hubbard, CEO of Electron, Maria McKavanagh, COO of Verv. 

Has the initial hype around the use of blockchain in the energy sector cooled off, with commercial applications coming to the fore? We speak to energy experts to discuss progress so far and the likely developments in the coming years. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests:Christoph Burger, senior lecturer, ESMT. Tobias Federico, CEO of Energy Brainpool. 

With a no-deal Brexit increasingly likely on 31 October, the energy sector in the UK and Europe should brace itself for costly and inefficient cross-border trading, while the EU looks set to lose a driving force in decarbonisation, and a pro-nuclear voice, says Antony Froggatt of Chatham House. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel.Guests: Antony Froggatt, senior research fellow, Chatham House, Chris Eales, Editor France, Montel. 

This year will see a 25% rise in wind power capacity in Finland, largely due to high electricity prices and low production costs. However, additional green energy raises questions of flexibility in a system dominated by nuclear power, say Anni Mikkonen of the country’s wind power association and Jenni Patronen of Pöyry. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Anni Mikkonen, CEO, Finnish Wind Power Association,  Jenni Patronen, Senior Principal, Pöyry Management Consulting. 

While hydrological levels have been boosted by a wet – and snowy at high altitudes – May, the outlook for the summer remains uncertain and largely in the hands of the weather gods. Eylert Ellefsen, also known as Mr Hydrology, talks us through the prospects for hydro generation from the Balkans, central Europe, Spain and the Alpine region in the coming months. Host:Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Gert Ove Mollestad, Journalist, Montel, Eylert Ellefsen, senior analyst, EQ.

In this week’s pod, CEOs of two of Europe’s largest energy companies discuss the massive transformation currently happening in the sector. They talk about the challenges facing them in the transition to a low-carbon economy, and the impact of the European elections. Utilities should avoid becoming too attached to their old fossil fuel-fired plants and plan for the green future, they say. Hosts: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel,Andrés Cala, Madrid Bureau Chief. Guests: Magnus Hall, CEO of Vattenfall,Francesco Starace, CEO of Enel,Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of Eurelectric.