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

The US, China, and now Europe are seeing a surge in data centres as big tech firms and other businesses develop their AI models. But, will these data centres cause the dramatic rise in power consumption that many are predicting? 

In this episode, Richard goes deep into the subject with data centre experts from RISE and Greenscale to understand who the tenants of these data centres are, what challenges the tech and energy industries need to overcome together, and how data centres will continue to evolve with the exponential growth in AI. 

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson
Contributor: Alina Trabattoni - Italy Correspondent, Montel News

Guests:
Tor Björn Minde - Head of ICE Datacenter Unit at RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden)
Liam Newcombe - Senior Vice President of Product, Energy Strategy and Innovation, Greenscale

Editors: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

This week, LNG prices rose to a 10-week high in Europe in response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.  

With the shadow of a threat from Iran to close its vital waterway for global LNG shipments, in this episode, we discuss the likelihood of this happening, the political power dynamics at play and the implications for global energy markets.

Richard speaks to Eurasia Group’s Head of Energy and Kpler’s Principal LNG Analyst about the changes in shipping movements that we have seen around the strait in response to Israel and Iran’s attacks, and what this tells us about how the energy markets have so far reacted.

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

Guests:
Laura Page - Principal LNG Analyst, Kpler
Henning Gloystein - Practice Head of Energy, Climate & Resources, Eurasia Group

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

Since spring 2025, power prices in the Nordics have been below zero, thanks to a myriad of factors, including low power demand and a glut of green power production. 

Whilst this has been good news for some consumers in the region - who have been paid to use their electricity - the prevalence of sub-zero prices has created jitters for investors and many in öthe markets are feeling the impact of the negative downturn. 

In this episode, Richard speaks to a panel of experts from Montel’s Energy Day in Helsinki about why the Nordics are experiencing the most dramatic level of negative prices vs the rest of Europe. We also look at PPAs, the impact of an increase in nuclear energy, and how renewables can coexist with other growing energy sources. 

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson

Guests:

Suvi Paaso - Managing Director, Power Deriva 
Riku Merikoski - Senior Power Analyst, Axpo Solutions AG
Vesa Ahoniemi - Chief Commercial Officer, Winda Energy
Priyanka Shinde - Market Expert Nordic, Montel Analytics

Editors: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

In May, Danish energy producer, Orsted, pulled out of the UK’s Hornsea 4 project, citing "economic reasons", and earlier this week, industry leaders in The Netherlands have expressed their serious concerns about the high costs and potential delays which threaten the delivery of key offshore wind projects.

In this episode, Richard speaks to the CEO of WindEurope about the state of Europe’s renewable energy sector. He also speaks to a panel of experts from the UK and The Netherlands - including a former Dutch MP - about how delays and rules set by governments are causing serious issues for the industry. 

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson
Contributor: Karolin Schaps - Dutch Reporter, Montel News

Guests: 
Giles Dickson - CEO, WindEurope
Fintan Devenney - Senior Energy Analyst, Montel
Jan Vos - Chairman, NedZero
Bas Sudmeijer - MD, Boston Consulting Group

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles

Spain and Portugal will be sending joint letters to the EU energy commissioner and French energy minister, urging them to apply pressure on the current plans for interconnections, following April’s blackout in the Iberian Peninsula.

 But are high costs, local resistance, and fears over the impact of cheap imports stiffening Paris’s opposition  to further power links with Spain.

This week we speak to key Spanish and French market experts to unpack some of the issues that the topic of further interconnection raises for the two countries. And for the rest of Europe.

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson

Contributors:

Muriel Boselli - France Correspondent, Montel News

Belen Belmonte - Spain Correspondent, Montel News 

Guests:                     

Ana Barillas - Managing Director, Iberia and LATAM at Aurora Energy Research

Emeric de Vigan - Managing Director, 42 Advisors
 
Editor: Oscar Birk

Producer: Sarah Knowles

As Europe eyes an end to Russian gas imports by 2027, fresh geopolitical tensions are reshaping energy markets once again. Could Trump’s mediation efforts result in a ceasefire in the Ukraine and could Russian gas re-enter Europe—directly or via shadow routes?

In this week’s episode, Richard speaks to two policy experts about what peace versus a ceasefire could really mean for gas prices, energy security, and the green transition. How do emerging interdependencies with the US, Qatar, and Africa shift Europe’s leverage—and what happens when offshore wind, solar, and LNG become pawns in great power rivalries?

Presenter: Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Contributor: Andrés Cala – LNG Correspondent, Montel News

Guests: Francesco Sassi – Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Oslo
Tobias Federico – Chief Product Officer, Montel

Editor: Bled Maliqi
Producer: Sarah Knowles