This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re joined by Lawson Steele, CEO of Haldane Energy, to explore the strategic and practical role of hydrogen in long-duration energy storage and the UK’s energy transition. Marten Ford, who leads Aurora’s work in GBN Ireland on low-carbon fuels and hydrogen, guides the conversation through the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s power system over the next decade.

Lawson is responsible for the day-to-day management of Haldane Energy and is a founder and director of the Windward Energy group of companies. He has over a decade of experience in renewables and energy infrastructure, building wind portfolios and independent distribution networks.

Main topics include:

• The strategic rationale for hydrogen long-duration energy storage and its role in replacing aging gas-fired power plants

• How hydrogen provides high energy density and flexible dispatchable power relative to alternatives like batteries or pumped hydro

• Design and operation of closed-loop hydrogen systems, including electrolysers, salt cavern storage, and hydrogen fuel power stations

• Commercial viability and the importance of government schemes to de-risk investment in large-scale hydrogen energy storage

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Juan Carlos Jobet, former Chilean Minister of Energy and Mining and now Dean of the Business School at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. He joins José Muñoz, Aurora’s Country Lead for Chile, to discuss Chile’s path to a cleaner, more resilient energy system, from the coal phase-out and renewable growth to the country’s ambitions in green hydrogen and the decarbonisation of mining.

Juan Carlos served as Minister of Energy and Mining from 2019 to 2022, overseeing a period of profound change in Chile’s power sector. With a background spanning public service, investment banking and executive leadership in energy and infrastructure, he brings a unique perspective on the intersection of policy, markets and global energy challenges.

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This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Ben Guest, Managing Director and Head of Gresham House Energy Transition, as well as Fund Manager of the Gresham House Energy Storage Fund. He joins Caroline Still, Principal in our Oxford Advisory team, to discuss the role of storage and flexibility in enabling the UK’s energy transition.

Ben has over two decades of experience in the energy sector and leads the UK’s largest utility-scale battery storage fund. He has overseen the deployment of over 800 MW of operational battery projects, with a pipeline of more than 2 GW under development.

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This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Karin Burns, CEO of San Diego Community Power (SDCP). She joins Oliver Kerr, Aurora’s Managing Director for North America, and Farhad Billimoria, Head of US West Research, to discuss the rise of community choice aggregation (CCA) and its role in accelerating California’s clean energy transition.

Karin has led SDCP since 2022, overseeing its rapid growth into one of the largest CCAs in California, now serving nearly one million customers. With a background spanning international finance, non-profit leadership and sustainability strategy, she brings a unique perspective on how community-led models can deliver clean, affordable and reliable energy.

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This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group. She joins Richard Howard, Aurora’s Global Research Director, to discuss the role of business and government in accelerating the transition to net zero.

Helen has led Climate Group since 2017, overseeing initiatives such as RE100, EV100, SteelZero, and the Under2 Coalition, which mobilise companies and governments worldwide to commit to ambitious climate goals. With over two decades of experience in climate and humanitarian work, she brings unique insights into how cross-sector coalitions can drive global action.

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This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Philip Hirschhorn, Ministerial Appointee to the NEM Wholesale Market Settings Review Expert Panel, and Tim Nelson, Chair of the independent review of Australia’s NEM. They join Hugo Batten, Aurora’s Managing Director for APAC, and Hana Ramli, Principal in our Australian Advisory team, to discuss the draft recommendations of the Wholesale Market Settings Review and their implications for Australia’s energy transition.

Philip has over two decades of experience advising the energy sector, including 25 years at Boston Consulting Group where he led the Australian Energy practice. He now serves on the Expert Panel shaping reforms to Australia’s derivatives market and contract design. Tim brings extensive leadership experience across Australia’s energy institutions, including Iberdrola, the AEMC, AGL, and government roles, and is currently chairing the independent review of the NEM.

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To delve deeper into the investment landscape in Australia, reach out to our Aurora experts at auroraer.com/global-presence/australia.

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Heather Reams, President and CEO of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES). She joins Oliver Kerr, Aurora’s Managing Director for North America, to discuss the role of conservative leadership in driving clean energy policy and the prospects for bipartisan cooperation.

Heather has led CRES since 2016, building its role as a leading right-of-centre voice for pragmatic clean energy solutions in the US. With over three decades of experience in public affairs and energy policy, she brings a unique perspective on how conservative leadership can advance the energy transition.

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If you enjoyed listening to this episode, attend the second edition of the Aurora Energy Transition Forum on October 21st, 2025 in New York! The event will bring together senior and influential leaders from the US energy sector - developers, utilities, investors, government, tech, and finance - to address America’s energy transition challenges and solutions. Join a curated group of senior decision-makers in a high-level setting designed to foster meaningful dialogue – more than just your usual networking. Head to Aurora’s website the to find out more and to book your ticket. We look forward to seeing you there!

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Christoph Bellin, Head of Development & Projects at Alpiq. He joins Claudia Günther, our Research Lead for Northwestern Europe, to explore the evolving roles of flexible assets like battery storage and pumped hydro in Europe’s energy transition.

Christoph is a senior energy executive with over two decades of experience in the European energy market. At Alpiq, he leads the Development & Projects unit, driving the growth of a pan-European Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) portfolio from investment through to commissioning.

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This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Elyette Roux, Executive Vice President for the Power Grid market division at Nexans, and Managing Director of the company’s Accessories Business Unit. She joins Pierre Dennery, Aurora’s Country Head for France, to examine the global challenges of deploying the grid infrastructure required for the energy transition.

Elyette joined Nexans in 2021 and now oversees a division representing nearly 30% of the company’s business. She has held senior roles at Dassault Aviation, Schneider Electric, and Cisco, bringing a unique perspective on how industrial capability, innovation, and operations intersect in modernising grids.

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This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Ben Wilson, President of National Grid Ventures. He joins Dan Monzani, our Managing Director for UK & Ireland, to explore how infrastructure, interconnectors and electrification are shaping the future of the UK and global energy systems.

Ben sits on the Executive Committee of National Grid and was appointed President of NGV in August 2024. NGV is the group’s competitive arm, operating a diverse portfolio of low-carbon and renewable energy businesses across the UK, Europe and the US, including interconnectors, battery storage, LNG and clean power generation.

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