In this week’s episode, our host Alex explores Britain’s shrinking refinery sector, which has fallen from over 20 sites in the 1970s to just 4 today. The Prax Lindsay Oil Refinery is now closing, marking another blow to the industry. Meanwhile, the owners’ fortunes have reversed, shifting from Rich List billionaires to facing a £250 million outstanding tax bill to the UK government. Alex unpacks two decades of refinery shifts across Europe, what keeps them viable, and the real factors driving profitability.

This recent closure brings great sadness to the Wolfe Power Club as we know many of the highly skilled workers were affected. Alex has spent 20 years helping companies and organisations buy, sell and make downstream assets work. This week, we will be doing a deep dive into refinery economics. 

Credits

Stunning Evening Drone Footage Of The Lindsey Oil Refinery (Trevor Smith - YouTube)

4K Drone Refineries Port Arthur TX 60fps (TomsDs - YouTube)

Too big too fast: how $10bn UK energy challenger Prax unravelled (Financial Times)

"What Has Gone Wrong?!" | Lincolnshire Oil Refinery To Shut After Owner Goes Bust (TalkTV - YouTube)

July 2025 (Portland Fuel)

Wolfe Power Club is proud to be partnering with the Spectator Magazine to co-host their Energy Summit 2025 on November 24th. If you want to become a potential partner and have the last word on energy debates in 2025, please contact us.

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

This week, we return to Farnborough for the British Motor Show to explore the answers surrounding electric vehicles (EVs) within the energy transition.

Our host Alex goes inside the world of hypercars, speaks with YouTubers Mark McCann, Nick O'Leary and Yiannimize and explores the resistance many petrolheads feel toward electric cars, including Mercedes. Tesla gives us exclusive access to both the CyberCab and the Model Y, the world’s best-selling car of 2023 and 2024, and we dig into what makes it such a breakthrough for the EV transition.

Alongside the car talk, we highlight the important work from A Driving Force and the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, complete with rare cars, family stories, and a raffle for a high-spec Fiat Abarth.

Many thanks to the British Motor Show, Tesla and Mercedes for allowing us to cover the event.

This week is our final part of our special Summer Trilogy on the British Motor Show!

• Be sure to check out Part 1 where we review UK car manufactures facing £15K fines for every electric vehicle (EV) they fail to sell. 
• Part 2 is also out with it featuring an exclusive interview with two-time Formula 1 World Champion, engineer Jon Hilton.

It’s an auto & energy summer special you won’t want to miss!

Wolfe Power Club is proud to be partnering with the Spectator Magazine to co-host their Energy Summit 2025 on November 24th. If you want to become a potential partner and have the last word on energy debates in 2025, please contact us. 

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

What happens when a world champion Formula One engineer takes on the energy transition? 

Jon Hilton, former Renault F1 technical director and winner of the 2005 and 2006 World Championships, went on to co-found Flybrid Automotive, developing KERS technology and selling the company for £16 million. He then applied F1 engineering to electrify Rolls-Royce Phantoms, Aston Martin DB5s, and even recycling trucks with Lunaz. Jon joins host Alex Wolfe to explore how high-performance racing insights can drive commercial clean-tech innovation. This week, Jon tells us what it’s like to have Flavio Briatore as your boss, from redundancy to scaling a breakthrough in flywheel systems, selling a business successfully and founding an electric car company as a result of a flight to Ibiza.

This week kicks off Part 2 of our special Summer Trilogy on the British Motor Show! We’re in-person at the show on Friday, 15th August. Click here to learn more about them and to donate: https://adrivingforce.co.uk/

• Be sure to check out Part 1 (last week's episode) where we review UK car manufactures facing £15K fines for every electric vehicle (EV) they fail to sell. 
• Part 3 wraps up the trilogy with insights, surprises, and key takeaways from the show itself.

It’s an auto & energy summer special you won’t want to miss!

 

Jon Hilton started his career with Rolls-Royce military engines group. His passion for engines led him to Formula One where he enjoyed fifteen years in senior posts at Cosworth, TWR Arrows and the Renault F1 Team.

In 2007 Jon co-formed Flybrid Automotive Limited to develop high-speed flywheel-based hybrid systems for automobile application. As Managing Director Jon ran the company until January 2014, when it was acquired by Torotrak PLC. In 2019 Jon co-founded the Lunaz group of companies, building electric classic cars and recycled electric trucks, where he worked until retirement in 2024. Jon was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 2016/17. 

 

Wolfe Power Club is proud to be partnering with the Spectator Magazine to co-host their Energy Summit 2025 on November 24th. If you want to become a potential partner and have the last word on energy debates in 2025, please contact us. 

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

In the UK, car manufacturers may face a £15,000 fine for every electric vehicle (EV) they fail to sell, as per the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

In this episode, our host Alex reviews the overall automotive UK market; analysing the various penalties and the current sales of vehicles in the UK and the current production figures from each of the leading manufacturers. He also reveals why this podcast is getting its own electric vehicle...

This week kicks off Part 1 of our special Summer Trilogy on the British Motor Show!
We’re in-person at the show on Friday, 15th August.

• Part 2 features an exclusive interview with a two-time Formula 1 World Champion.
• Part 3 wraps up the trilogy with insights, surprises, and key takeaways from the show itself.

It’s an auto & energy summer special you won’t want to miss!

Sources used:

• UK New Car Registration Data - Latest Figures & Statistics | SMMT
• How will the ZEV mandate affect the UK automotive market? | Autovista24
• Which carmakers are struggling with the UK ZEV mandate targets | BauaElectric

Wolfe Power Club is proud to be partnering with the Spectator Magazine to co-host their Energy Summit 2025 on November 24th. If you want to become a potential partner and have the last word on energy debates in 2025, please contact us.

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

In this episode, it’ll blow your mind that the UK pays over £1bn per year to not use wind energy, the great curtailing process exposed.

Kathryn Porter, Energy Consultant of Watt-Logic, chats with host Alex on why and how the UK pays over 27p per kilowatt hour for electricity in comparison to Europe paying under 11p per kilowatt hour. Kathryn also goes into in-depth detail about the UK’s journey from parity in 2011 to today’s price gap.

Watt-Logic's report: The true affordability of net zero: https://watt-logic.com/2025/05/19/new-report-the-true-affordability-of-net-zero/

Kathryn Porter is an independent energy consultant with broad experience of the energy and finance sectors in both leadership and technical roles. She works with companies across the energy value chain, from producers and generators to large energy consumers, advising on new projects, procurement and risk management, and the impact of regulatory and market change. She has specific expertise in the utilities, oil and gas sectors, with finance experience spanning equities and equity derivatives, debt capital markets, M&A, loans, and commodity derivatives.

Kathryn holds a Master’s Degree in Physics from the University of Exeter and an MBA from London Business School. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments and is a member of the Institute of Directors. She is also an associate member of the Executive Council of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies and recently became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers.

Follow Kathryn on socials:

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kathrynporter26

X: https://x.com/kathrynporter26?lang=en

Watt-Logic website: https://watt-logic.com/

Watt-Logic blog: https://watt-logic.com/blog/

Wolfe Power Club is proud to be partnering with the Spectator Magazine to co-host their Energy Summit 2025 on November 24th. If you want to become a potential partner and have the last word on energy debates in 2025, please contact us.

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

In July 2024, Labour entered the UK Government with a promise: a fair, fast, and bold transition to net zero. One year on, what has Labour really achieved and has Keir Starmer’s Government stayed true to that promise? On this week’s episode our host Alex and our Director of Government Relations Max Austin review the good, the bad and the ugly of Labour’s energy work across the past year.

Key topics discussed in the episode include: carbon capture, Great British Energy, Heathrow blackout and North Sea.

Robert Gordon University Energy Transition Institute report footage (David Duguid – LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/posts/david-duguid-46b52b29_northsea-oilandgas-grangemouth-activity-7336106647154552833-gvbF?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADEcbEUBYaJKwZPuOEuO1DqBqcfR-zwyXoY 

Wolfe Power Club is proud to be partnering with the Spectator Magazine to co-host their Energy Summit 2025 on November 24th. If you want to become a potential partner and have the last word on energy debates in 2025, please contact us.

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

The transportation sector is facing its most significant revolution since the internal combustion engine, and Windrose Technology is leading this transformation with electric heavy-duty trucks that are redefining what's possible. 

Could this be the beginning of the end for diesel trucks? The revolution in heavy transport has begun.

On this week's episode, our host Alex is joined by Windrose founder, chairman and CEO Wen Han. Wen utilises Windrose for their clean-slate approach to truck design. Rather than retrofitting existing models, they've reimagined the truck from first principles, creating a center-driving configuration that works universally across markets regardless of which side of the road is standard.

The company's rapid ascent has caught the attention of world leaders, with Wen recently meeting French President Macron at Versailles to announce a €175 million factory investment.

Windrose's website: https://www.windrose.tech/

CREDIT

Windrose EV truck completed a 677km trip for Kerry Logistics -- 68% battery used, 0 charging stop (windrose-EV-truck – YouTube)

Wen Han, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Windrose Technology, is building next generation HGV trucks that can do over 670km. Wen graduated with an MBA from Stanford University.

Early Career Worked at Bridgewater Associates and GSR Ventures, gaining exposure to finance and venture capital. Served as Chief Strategy & Financial Officer at autonomous trucking company Plus, where he developed strategic insight into self-driving logistics platforms.

Founded Windrose in March 2022 with co-founder Haoli Chen, aiming to design long-haul battery-electric semi-trucks for global markets. As CEO and chairman, Wen has overseen strategic planning, fundraising, and global operations from the outset.

Wolfe Power Club is proud to be partnering with the Spectator Magazine to co-host their Energy Summit 2025 on November 24th. If you want to become a potential partner and have the last word on energy debates in 2025, please contact us.

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

On this week’s episode of Wolfe Power Club, our host Alex is joined by John Gassenmaier from technology supplier Bosch, to talk about their pivotal role in the automative value chain.

From their involvement with OEM-approved fuels to their ambitious summer Tour d'Europe project, where Bosch collaborated with 28 partners across 17 countries to explore the benefits of HVO fuel in the HGV market, we learn how Bosch use the findings from Tour d’Europe to present to the EU government that liquid fuels are an essential third pillar of energy transition.

We also get to hear from Bosch's innovative digital fuel twin, on how it is revolutionising fleet management for transport directors.

This episode is kindly sponsored by Prema Energy. Visit their website today to learn how they provide businesses with eco-friendly alternative fuels.

John Gassenmaier has been with Bosch for over 20 years, in different sales functions for hardware components for over 10 years, and he has been engaged in sales for “connected"-related software features since 2022. In this role, John has been promoting Bosch's digital fuel twin, since its product launch in late 2023.

Bosch website: https://www.bosch.com/

Visit Bosch's Tour d’Europe project here: https://tourdeurope.eu/

Bosch's digital fuel twin solution: https://www.bosch-mobility.com/en/solutions/software-and-services/digital-fuel-twin/

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

To celebrate the start of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, Hattie Park, Wimbledon’s All English Lawn Tennis Club’s sustainability officer at Wimbledon, discusses with our host Alex the various initiatives and challenges faced by the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) in their pursuit of sustainability. We also hear from 4x Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman who predicts the Wimbledon 2025 winners.

In this podcast, we find out how Wimbledon operates their own energy consumption and how their significance in energy security and partnerships with transportation companies, help to enhance sustainability during the championships.

Wimbledon sustainability page

Wolfe Power Club proudly supports the Tim Henman Foundation. To find out more and to donate click here.


Hattie Park is the Sustainability Manager at Wimbledon, leading their Environment Positive strategy. She is an environmental sustainability specialist with fifteen years experience developing and delivering corporate sustainability strategies. At Wimbledon she is involved in everything from integrating sustainability within long-term plans for the site and emission reporting, to delivering Championship-specific initiatives. She joined the AELTC in February 2019 after 9 years as sustainability manager at the BBC. 

Tim Henman was the first male player from the United Kingdom since Roger Taylor in the 1970s to reach the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship. Henman was ranked British number 1 in 1996 and from 1999 to 2005, from which point he was succeeded by Andy Murray. He reached a career high ranking of World No. 4 during three different periods between July 2002 and October 2004. He is one of Britain's most successful open era male tennis players.

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...

Last week, policymakers and industry leaders gathered at the Houses of Parliament for the official launch of Smart Data Group - a new industry-led organisation aiming to accelerate the rollout of smart data initiatives across the UK, with a particular focus on transforming the energy sector.

In this episode, our Director of Government Relations, Max Austin, reports from the event and speaks with key figures driving the smart data agenda. He interviews the UK’s first Smart Data Minister, former MP Paul Scully, along with Smart Data Group co-founders Richard Newman and Clare Ambrosino, to unpack how the newly passed Smart Data Bill aligns with Parliament’s goals and what it will take to deliver meaningful outcomes for energy consumers and unlock an estimated £27.8 billion in economic growth.

Smart Data Group is a comprehensive delivery organisation that empowers its members to design and implement smart data schemes while shaping and ensuring compliance with future regulatory requirements. By uniting data holders, third-party providers, service providers, regulators, and policymakers, it creates collaborative data-sharing frameworks that drive innovation and trust.

Call to Action:

- A focus on investment trends, governmental policies, and the evolving landscape of energy consumption, it promises to provide valuable insights for both industry professionals and the general public.

Contact Information:

- If you would like to be on a future episode or you would like to become a sponsorship partner, contact us: [email protected].

- Follow Us: Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Linkedin, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Credits:

- Funk You, Abbynoise, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/funk-you - License code: 5CEYMJHNJPK0L1G5

- Flomp Beat, All Good Folks, Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/flomp-beat - License code: G9H2S0LXXPH5NCG2

Sponsorship:
Season One is sponsored by Aim Recruit – https://aimrecruit.com/
Aim Recruit is an expert recruiter for transport, logistics and energy position...