Switched On

Australia is becoming a proving ground for the future of electricity markets. With renewables now supplying a large share of generation and batteries being deployed at unprecedented scale, the country is offering an early look at how power systems operate when storage becomes a central part of the grid. Yet batteries’ remarkable success in the country brings with it new challenges, as growing competition begins to erode the arbitrage opportunities that drove the sector’s early growth. So what happens when batteries move from a niche technology to a core part of the power system, and what can Australia’s experience teach the rest of the world? On today’s show, Kobad Bhavnagri is joined by  joined by Sahaj Sood, an associate from BNEF’s Australian research team, to review findings from his notes “Australia Energy Storage Update 2026: Arbs and Flows” and “Batteries Supercharge Australia’s Solar and Wind Economics.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Australia Energy Storage Update 2026: Arbs and Flows - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39303

Batteries Supercharge Australia’s Solar and Wind Economics - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39135

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As power grids become more digital and interconnected, they are also becoming more exposed. Utilities are facing a growing mix of physical and cyber threats, from attacks on substations to increasingly sophisticated efforts to infiltrate the systems used to monitor and operate the grid. Smart meters, distributed energy resources and connected devices are creating new vulnerabilities, while AI has the potential to both strengthen defenses and lower the barrier to more complex attacks. Yet security spending remains difficult to prioritize, forcing utilities and regulators to weigh uncertain risks against other pressing investment needs. So how should the power sector think about grid security, and what does resilience look like in an increasingly connected energy system? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Hayley Lai, an analyst from BNEF’s grids team, to discuss findings from her note “Physical and Cyber Threats Reshape US Grid Investment.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Physical and Cyber Threats Reshape US Grid Investment - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39285

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

El Niño has officially arrived, and there are concerns this time that the weather phenomenon might be more intense than most years, a so-called “super” event. With Pacific Ocean temperatures now exceeding the threshold for one of the strongest forms of the weather pattern, the risk of prolonged heat, drought, low wind and other disruptive weather events is rising across multiple regions at once. For commodity and power markets, that can mean greater volatility, from wind droughts in Europe and hydropower stress in the Nordics to shifting hurricane risks in the US. Yet El Niño can also ease pressure in some markets, influencing winter temperatures, rainfall patterns and energy demand in ways that are not always straightforward. So what does a super El Niño mean for commodities, power markets and energy systems, and where are the biggest risks likely to emerge? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by BloombergNEF’s weather analysts, Jess Hicks and Ryan Ward, to discuss some of their team’s notes, including “Weather and Commodities: Summer Outlook 2026 Marks El Niño” and “Atlantic Hurricane Outlook 2026: El Niño Lowers Count.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Atlantic Hurricane Outlook 2026: El Niño Lowers Count - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39663

Weather and Commodities: Summer Outlook 2026 Marks El Niño - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39615

AI Models Show Edge in Tropical Cyclone Prediction - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39679

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heat pumps are at a crossroads. After a decade of growth, global sales fell in 2025 as weaker construction activity weighed on key markets. Yet the longer-term picture remains resilient. Heat pumps have continued to gain ground against fossil fuel heating in several regions, while Europe remains a focal point for adoption, shaped by a shifting mix of subsidies, energy prices and consumer demand. So what is driving heat pump uptake today, and what will determine whether electrified heating can move into the mainstream? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Yara van Ingen, an associate from our building decarbonization team, to discuss her note “Heat Pump Market Outlook 2026: Blip, Not Bust.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Heat Pump Market Outlook 2026: Blip, Not Bust - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39389

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gas and oil are on a sharply divergent path. In BloombergNEF’s Economic Transition Scenario, oil demand peaks before the end of the decade, while gas demand continues to grow as expanding power systems seek reliable sources of generation. At the same time, constraints on everything from gas turbine supply chains to grid infrastructure are emerging as critical bottlenecks. So how does the global energy system evolve from here, and what do these competing pressures reveal about what lies ahead for the energy transition? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Ian Berryman, BloombergNEF’s head of energy systems modeling, to discuss findings from the New Energy Outlook 2026.

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

New Energy Outlook 2026 - https://www.bnef.com/flagships/new-energy-outlook

Executive Summary - https://about.bnef.com/insights/clean-energy/new-energy-outlook/

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China’s latest export data is offering an early glimpse into how higher fossil fuel prices may be reshaping trade in clean energy technology. Shipments of solar products, batteries and electric vehicles rose sharply in recent months, with some of the strongest growth coming from emerging markets that are heavily exposed to oil and gas imports. The figures arrive as many fuel-importing economies face renewed pressure from elevated energy prices. While it remains too early to draw firm conclusions, the data provides some of the clearest evidence yet that energy security concerns may be feeding through into clean-tech demand. So are rising fossil fuel prices beginning to accelerate the energy transition, and where could the next wave of clean-tech growth emerge? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by Antoine Vagneur-Jones, BNEF’s head of trade and supply chains, to discuss his note “China Clean-Tech Exports Trend Up Amid High Oil Prices” and “Energy Transition Supply Chains Outlook 2026.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

China Clean-Tech Exports Trend Up Amid High Oil Prices - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tfcdnwt9njlu00

Energy Transition Supply Chains Outlook 2026 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39531

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wind industry is entering a new phase of scale. Offshore installations are set to surge in 2026 as a new generation of massive projects comes online, while onshore markets continue expanding across the globe. But the picture beneath those headline numbers is increasingly nuanced. Offshore developers are still grappling with supply chain bottlenecks, higher financing costs and policy uncertainty, even as governments accelerate deployment in the name of energy security and rising power demand. At the same time, Chinese manufacturers are rapidly expanding internationally, intensifying competition across global turbine markets. So where does the wind industry go next, and how are developers, manufacturers and governments adapting to a more competitive and fragmented market? On today’s show, Dana Perkins is joined by BloombergNEF’s head of wind research, Oliver Metcalfe, to discuss some of his team’s recent research including “Offshore Wind Market Outlook 1H 2026: New Era of Scale” and “Wind Turbine Orders in 2025: Chinese Firms Capture 34%.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Offshore Wind Market Outlook 1H 2026: New Era of Scale - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39491

Wind Turbine Orders in 2025: Chinese Firms Capture 34% - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39261

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan’s journey back to nuclear power is entering a new phase. Fifteen years after the Fukushima disaster and the shuttering of the country’s nuclear fleet, the return of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa 6 reactor marks the first restart in the Tokyo power region and one of the most significant additions since 2011. The timing is critical. Japan remains heavily reliant on imported LNG, leaving its power prices exposed to global gas shocks and disruptions from the war in the Middle East. Nuclear restarts are increasingly being seen as a way to strengthen energy security, reduce fuel imports and ease pressure on power prices. So what role can nuclear realistically play in Japan’s power system, and how much further can the country’s restart program go? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by Mariko O’Neil, BNEF’s head of APAC power, to discuss her note “Nuclear Comeback to Ease Tokyo Power Price War Premium.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Nuclear Comeback to Ease Tokyo Power Price War Premium - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tdkvktt96osk00

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hydrogen’s place in the energy transition is changing. After years of hype around its role in reaching net zero, many projects have been delayed or canceled as costs remain high, policy support weakens and demand proves slow to materialize. Yet hydrogen is far from disappearing. Industries already consume vast amounts of the molecule today, and sectors such as fertilizers, refining and potentially steelmaking still have few viable alternatives for deep decarbonization. At the same time, countries like China and India continue to push ahead with deployment and industrial policy support. So after the hype cycle, where does hydrogen actually make economic sense in the energy transition? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Martin Tengler, BloombergNEF’s head of hydrogen research, to discuss some of his department’s recent work, including “No, Iran War Won’t Boost Clean Hydrogen – Except in China” and “Hydrogen Supplier Market Shares 2026: US Blue in the Lead.”

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

Hydrogen Lifted by AccelerateEU, But Expect No Miracles - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tdxp93kk3ny800

Clean Hydrogen Production Assets Update - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39161

No, Iran War Won’t Boost Clean Hydrogen - Except in China - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39077

Hydrogen Supplier Market Shares 2026: US Blue in the Lead - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38839

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BloombergNEF’s Tier 1 lists have become a defining feature of the clean energy industry. Built on real project deployment data, they track which manufacturers’ products are actually being used in large, recently financed projects, offering a transparent way to navigate markets crowded with hundreds of suppliers. That simplicity has made the lists highly influential, but being on (or off) the list doesn’t tell the full story about product quality or risk. So what do these lists really reveal about the industry, and how should they be used in practice? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Jenny Chase, lead solar analyst at BNEF, to discuss the Tier 1 lists’ genesis, their application, and why they help us understand the “Wild West” of the energy transition.

Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com

Links to research notes from this episode:

BNEF Energy Storage Tier 1 List 2Q 2026 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33123

Company Ranking: Tier 1 PV Module Makers - https://www.bnef.com/insights/10610

Company Ranking: Tier 1 Power Inverter Makers - https://www.bnef.com/insights/32073

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.