Redefining Energy

Modernising and expanding the Transmission networks is one the least publicised but critical way to facilitate a faster introduction and smoother management of renewable energy. Grid operators have been portrayed as very conservative and risk adverse. Incentives structures are rarely there to promote innovation.
But a digital solution has emerged recently, so disruptive and brilliant that it received the World Economic Forum award for “transmission innovation of the decade”. This revolution, 10 years in the making is about to unlock a better access to more renewables everywhere around the world. At the helm is Gregg Rotenberg, CEO of California-based SmartWires, that we have the privilege to interview on the show.
Gregg dives into the technological innovation that modular power flow control solutions bring to the Grid, in term of cost, time to market and flexibility. We analyse why incumbents didn’t see this coming, how they face a Kodak moment in this 100bnUSD industry; we tour the world to understand how the UK, Germany and Australia and many others system operators are adopting SmartWires technologies to modernise their grids, transforming them from skeletons to brains.
https://www.smartwires.com/

In this Episode, we analyse the European Green Deal. EGD is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the global aim of making Europe climate neutral in 2050, including an interim reduction of emissions of 55% in 2030 compared with 1990 levels. We welcome the expertise of Andrew McDowell, who until last August, was Vice President at the European Investment Bank (EIB) and one of the key contributors to the EGD.
Beyond the grandiose words, we are delving into various pro-climate policies (Energy, Transportation, Buildings…), assess the merit of top-down decisions by the EU, and debate the effectiveness of some programs, and their likely impacts on the decarbonization of the Continent.
So, European Green Deal, or no Deal? Deal!
https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en

In this Episode, Laurent and Gerard delve into biomass. Converting old coal boilers to burn wood pellets has fared diverse results and has drawn to criticisms of some NGOs. That’s why we have invited “Mr Biomass”, Jens Wolf.
Jens is General Manager at Enviva Biomass, one of the world’s largest biomass trader. He had a very long industrial career at Orsted/Dong and then Drax, putting in place the largest biomass units in Europe. On one hand biomass plants are costly to run, as wood pellet is more expensive than coal; on the other you can achieve fast decarbonisation within limited CAPEX.
We look at the prospects in Germany, especially in the district heating sector with old CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plants in the centre of large central and northern European Cities. The time of biomass may have finally come.

We have the pleasure and an honor to invite Francesco Venturini, CEO of ENEL X. ENEL X is the Energy Services division of the Italian giant ENEL.
ENEL X regroups all new activities of ENEL: Emobility, EV charging, Demand Response, Rooftop Solar, Energy Storage, Public Lighting,..
Francesco Venturini gives a strategic overview of all those businesses, discuss how they are managed around anchoring platforms.
We are introduced to the new type of Utility that we call Utility 2.0: Asset light, digital eco-systems, client-oriented. Francesco describes the switch from a Commodity-based model to a Service-based model and how ENEL X is shaping, at breakneck pace, the Utility of tomorrow.
@EnelXGlobal

In this Episode, Gerard and Laurent try to figure out if planting a trillion trees will really save the planet… or if it is even doable? Turning Biodiversity, Carbon Sequestration and Forestry into a financial asset is quite complex. To make a sense of the new concept of Natural Capital, we have invited Christian Del Valle, co-founder of Althelia Climate Fund.
For the past decade, Christian has developed and managed the largest Conservation, Biodiversity and Carbon Sequestration Fund in the World. In 2019, he successfully sold it to French bank Natixis.
If intentions are clear and wonderful, execution proves to be a long and winding road.
So, are we going to save the Planet by planting 1 trillion trees? Christian shares to the keys to success through a journey from the Amazon forest to Sumatra via the Congo basin.

“Christian del Valle” https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-del-valle-0442876/

In this Episode, Gerard and Laurent invite Mark Lewis, Global Head of Sustainability Research, BNP Paribas Asset Management for a "battle royal": how ESG and Sustainability are redefining finance.
During a great conversation, they analyse the evolution of Green Finance under various angles: the Blackrock’s letter, the famous rant of Jim Cramer on CNBC, the consequences of COVID-19, Mark Carney’s TCFD, Shareholder’s Activism, Environmental Ratings, ESG ETF, Sustainability and Impact Investing.
Mark Lewis, recent winner of the Sustainable Investment Award for his groundbreaking report “Wells, Wires and Wheels”, confronts his views with Gerard and Laurent.
And a special congratulation to BNPP AM which not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk: according to a new ranking by FT, BNPP votes 100% of Climate resolutions in General Assemblies, which makes it a genuine leader in ESG

In this Episode we get an unique glance into the growth of the LNG Market over the past decade.
We interview Melissa Lindsay, Founder of the LNG Trading Platform EMSurge. Melissa details the creation of the LNG spot market as she was a broker at Tullett Prebon. Then, she made the bold move to leave that big institution to create her own trading platform. She shares the challenges of raising capital (including re-mortgaging her house), developing a technology that helps the market participants, putting together a team around the world. She relates the developments of Blockchain and AI. Finally she discusses the challenges of harnessing the carbon footprint of the LNG Trading Industry and how efficient market can improve the environmental profile of the LNG industry.

In this Episode, we have a dense, sometimes frank, conversation with Kristian Ruby, Secretary General at Eurelectric, the European Trade Body for Utilities (3,500 members). Kristian is the first SecGen that comes from the Renewables sector, which shows how much this Industry is adapting to the new reality of decarbonisation. He has a vision for the future and knows how to stand his ground despite our barrage of tough questions. We cover the multiple aspects of the green development of the European Energy sector: Mobility, Heating, Digitisation, Taxes... and Kristian comes out as an inspirational leader.

In this Episode, Laurent and Gerard welcome Natasha Luther Jones, Global Co-Chair, Energy and Natural Resources sector, and International Co-Head, Sustainability and ESG at DLA Piper to discuss how Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are driving the growth of renewables. PPAs’ role is to secure long term cash flows for wind and solar projects, they are the key to unlocking cheap debt finance.
How have PPA have grown and evolved in the past 5 years; what are the latest trends; what are the different categories of off-takers and what are their risk profile; what are the impacts of COVID-19... these are some of the topics which are examined during a great conversation with Natasha. And we conclude with a vision of the near future through the digitalisation of PPAs and the ever growing use of platforms.

Acronyms:
PPA - power purchase agreement, a long term contract to buy and sell electricity at a certain price
CFD - contract for difference, a financial instrument were two parties agree to settle the difference between a market price and a pre-agreed price
ISDA - legal framework for all OTC transactions
GO - Guarantees of Origin
PCG - parent company guarantee

In this twin-episode, Gerard and Laurent explore the multifaceted aspects of the Digitization of the Grid. We suggest our listeners to consider the two Episodes as a whole, as we conclude the conversation at the end of Episode 27.
We have had the privilege to welcome two great guests, Marcel Steinbach (E26) and Baard Eilertsen (E27). Their totally different vision and approaches - the Insider and the Disruptor - provide nevertheless a clear path towards full Digitization, one of the 3 D’s of the Energy Transition alongside Decentralisation and Decarbonisation.

Episode 27 proposes a long term vision of the grid’s digitization from an Disruptor’s perspective: Baard Eilertsen, CEO of Truebase AB, a successful Swedish Entrepreneur, has been at the forefront of several digital innovations in the Telecoms and Energy sectors. Baard predicts that with Intelligent Metering and IoT, the century-old centralized System will morph into Neural Networks. Billions of data points will lead to a radical transformation of the Grid thanks to real-time demand management. Techgiants such as Microsoft, Google and Tesla are the ultimate disruptors and will force a transformation like we’ve never seen before.