Plugged In: the energy news podcast

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Big Tech is buying huge amounts of renewable electricity to power data centres and the push for AI, but how green is that power really? And could changes to the rules governing corporate green energy claims transform Europe's Guarantees of Origin market?

This week on Plugged In, we explore proposed changes to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol - a widely used international accounting standard for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions - including a shift towards matching renewable electricity more closely to when and where it's consumed.

We examine the...

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As Donald Trump pushes for a peace deal in Ukraine and takes an increasingly conciliatory approach towards Russia, what could it mean for Europe’s energy markets?

This week on Plugged In, we look at how a shift in US policy towards Russia could reshape energy supply; from the future of sanctions and Russian oil and gas to the impact on European prices and security of supply.

We also ask whether Russian energy could become commercially attractive to Europe again, whether Europe can maintain sanctions without Washington, and what gr...

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Grid congestion has become one of the biggest obstacles facing the Dutch energy transition, with businesses and new projects struggling to secure connections as electrification puts growing pressure on the power system.

This week on Plugged In, we ask what the Netherlands can do to make better use of the grid it already has — and how the country’s energy regulator can boost flexibility, batteries and smarter connections to help ease bottlenecks.

We also explore the role of batteries in relieving congestion, the debate over grid tariffs, transparency around sola...

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Europe’s energy infrastructure is facing a growing range of threats, from physical sabotage and cyberattacks to hybrid warfare targeting the wires, the pipelines and the substations that keep power and gas flowing.

This week on Plugged In, we look at how vulnerable Europe’s critical energy infrastructure really is — and whether governments and operators are prepared for an increasingly hostile security environment.

We explore the risks and ask how the threat has evolved since 2022. What can Europe do to strengthen resilience, from greater redundancy and decentralisation to closer cooper...

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Europe’s carbon market is entering a critical period. Governments are pushing back against carbon costs, industrial competitiveness is climbing the political agenda and policy makers are debating changes that could alter how the EU ETS operates.

This week on Plugged In, we look at whether Europe is simply fine-tuning its flagship carbon market, or moving towards a more actively managed system.

We explore the political battle over the ETS review, proposals that could effectively create a soft carbon price corridor, and the growing tension between climate ambition and pr...

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It’s been one year since Europe’s day-ahead power market moved from hourly to 15-minute trading in order to help integrate renewables, boost liquidity in the day-ahead market and improve supply security. So, has the shift delivered what it promised?

This week on Plugged In, we look at how the change has reshaped Europe’s power markets — from shifting liquidity and the distinctive “sawtooth” price pattern to better integration of renewables and new opportunities for flexible assets.

We also explore what still needs to change, the challenges of bringing oth...

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With European gas storage levels relatively low, periods of cold temperatures, weak wind or low rainfall could have an outsized impact on gas and power prices.

In this episode of Plugged In, we look at the key weather patterns to watch in the months ahead and what they could mean for Europe’s energy system.

How could El Niño shape the European winter? Could a weakening polar vortex raise the risk of colder weather later in the season? And what happens to power markets when high demand coincides wit...

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The rules that have underpinned global shipping and energy trade for decades are coming under increasing strain. From the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea to the Baltic and the Arctic, geopolitical tensions are raising risks for shipping, supply chains and energy markets.

Recorded in Svalbard, this episode looks at what a more fragmented and dangerous maritime landscape means for global energy security. The discussion explores how the Iran war has changed LNG trade, why Asian buyers are rethinking their reliance on Middle Eastern supplies, and whether the world is...

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Europe is heading into winter with gas storage well below comfortable levels, LNG supplies under pressure and the Strait of Hormuz crisis adding further uncertainty to an already tight market.

Could a cold winter push European gas prices to EUR 150/MWh? And with Europe increasingly competing for LNG on the global market, how exposed is the continent to another energy price shock?

This week, we discuss Europe's gas balance, the race for LNG, the impact of continued disruption in the Middle East and what needs to happen to prevent...

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Batteries are emerging as one of the big winners from Europe’s increasingly volatile power markets.

In this episode, we look at how huge amounts of solar generation are driving down midday power prices before sharp evening peaks create opportunities for battery storage.

The discussion explores who profits from these price swings, whether batteries could begin to displace gas-fired generation, the shift towards larger and longer-duration storage, and whether a rapidly expanding battery fleet could eventually flatten the very volatility it profits from.

We also look ahead to...

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The Strait of Hormuz crisis has reshaped the outlook for global energy markets, with uncertainty over LNG flows, European gas storage and geopolitical risk hanging over the months ahead.

In this episode, we look at how the conflict has affected oil and gas markets, whether disruption through Hormuz has become a lasting feature of global energy trade, and why Europe could face a tight autumn and winter; particularly on price, even if outright gas shortages remained unlikely.

The discussion also covers low European storage levels, the role of weather...

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Reservoir levels in southern Norway are at their lowest for 30 years raising concerns about power prices in the months ahead and the Nordic region’s ability to balance domestic needs with exports to neighbouring markets.

In this episode of Plugged In, we examine the state of Nordic hydropower, the outlook for reservoir refilling and what current weather patterns could mean for power markets in the months ahead. The discussion explores the role of interconnectors, changing power flows between countries and how weather uncertainty continues to shape market expectations.

Looking be...

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Extreme heat and drought are putting Europe’s power system under pressure on close to an annual basis. 

Low river levels and high water temperatures are constraining nuclear and hydropower generation, just as demand for cooling rises. Meanwhile, solar has emerged as a bright spot — providing a quarter of the EU’s power mix in June and helping meet increased daytime demand.

In this episode of Plugged In, we look at how extreme weather is reshaping Europe’s power markets, why countries overly reliant on one generation source may be partic...

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After a summer spent exploring the technologies, markets and policies shaping Europe's energy transition, the final episode of the Plugged In Summer Series asks one key final question: is the green shift slowing down, or speeding up?

Richard is joined by two expert academics. David Reiner of the University of Cambridge and  Michael Grubb of University College London to explore what's next for the energy transition. Together, they assess how geopolitical instability, rising electricity demand and shifting global dynamics are reshaping the path ahead—from energy security and electrification to market ref...

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Artificial intelligence is transforming the global economy at extraordinary speed, but it's also creating one of the biggest new sources of electricity demand Europe has faced in decades. As hyperscale data centres continue to expand, are Europe's power systems, grids and energy markets ready to keep pace?

In this episode of the Plugged In Summer Series, we explore what the AI boom means for the energy transition. The discussion centres around power supply and how grid constraints could shape investment, to the role of flexibility, policy and smarter energy management. We...

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Europe's electricity system is changing fast. As renewables continue to reshape the power mix, new challenges are emerging; from negative pricing and falling pofitability  to the increased need for flexibility, storage, long-term investment signals and the growing demands of AI-driven data centres.

In this episode of the Plugged In Summer Series, host Richard speaks with market experts Cillian O'Donoghue of Eurelectric and Fabian Huneke of Agora to explore whether Europe's electricity market design is still fit for purpose.

The discussion examines whether the current market framework is delivering the r...

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Europe has made remarkable progress in developing renewable energy, but grids – both at distribution and transmission level, are struggling to keep up. Congestion, long connection queues and ageing infrastructure are holding back the energy transition. So, is the answer simply building more grid infrastructure; or making better use of the network we already have?

In this third episode of the Plugged In Summer Series, host Richard is joined by experts from across the electricity sector to explore how Europe can ease its growing grid bottlenecks. Frank Boerman-Lima shares insights from the fr...

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Europe is developing green energy at lighting speed.  But as solar and wind generation reaches record levels, new challenges are emerging across the electricity system. Negative prices, grid congestion, curtailment and falling capture prices are raising a fundamental question: has renewable deployment reached its limits, or is the rest of the energy system failing to keep pace?

In this episode of the Plugged In Summer Series, we explore whether Europe's next challenge is no longer building renewable generation, but integrating it.

Host Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief of Montel Ne...

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Europe's energy transition has delivered record renewable deployment and significant emissions reductions, but a new wave of geopolitical instability is once again putting the resilience of the energy system to the test.

This episode launches the Plugged In Summer Series, where we'll be asking one overarching question throughout: is the energy transition slowing down, or speeding up? Across six episodes, we'll explore the market, policy and technology trends shaping the answer.

To kick off the series, we're joined by three of the sector's leading voices: Professor Jan Rosenow of...

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The UK has set one of the most ambitious energy targets in Europe: a fully clean power system by 2030. But achieving it will require a transformation of the country's electricity network, unprecedented levels of renewable investment, and difficult political and regulatory decisions.

Recorded in Whitehall, Richard Sverrisson sits down with Chris Stark, Head of UK’s Mission for Clean Power, UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, to discuss whether the country is on track to meet its target and what still stands in the way.

Can the UK...

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Europe is experiencing a rush of investment into data centres as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services drive a new wave of electricity demand.

From Finland to Spain, developers are searching for locations with abundant clean power, available grid connections and supportive policy frameworks. But as data centres grow larger and more power-hungry, questions are emerging about whether Europe's electricity infrastructure can keep pace.

Grid operators are facing mounting connection queues, policymakers are weighing economic benefits against environmental concerns, and system planners are grappling with how to integrate...

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As Europe grapples with energy security concerns, expectations of rising electricity demand, and the rapid growth of AI-driven data centres, Finland is emerging as one of the continent's most compelling energy success stories.

In this episode of Plugged In, Richard Sverrisson is joined first by Elias Huuhtanen, Finland Correspondent at Montel News, who explains why Finland's long-term approach to energy planning, infrastructure investment and security preparedness has positioned the country as a model for Europe.

Richard then speaks with Markus Rauramo, CEO of Fortum and President of Eurelectric, about...

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Sweden's dispute with Brussels over electricity market rules is quickly becoming one of the biggest political energy stories in Europe.

At the centre of the debate is a huge stockpile of congestion revenues; billions of euros generated from price differences across Sweden's own grid and its interconnectors with neighbouring countries. Stockholm argues the money should stay in Sweden to fix domestic bottlenecks and protect consumers, while the EU wants greater flexibility to use some of those funds for wider European grid projects.

But this is no longer just a...

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Europe's power systems are facing a new reality.

As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, electricity networks are coming under growing pressure. Rising cooling demand, aging infrastructure and the rapid expansion of renewable energy are all changing how grids operate during periods of extreme weather.

The recent Iberian blackout also highlighted how important resilience, flexibility and interconnection have become in maintaining system security.

So is Europe's electricity system ready for a hotter future?

In this episode of Plugged In, Richard speaks with Julia Demirdag, Germany...

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The US-Israeli led war in Iran and the prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is once again exposing Europe’s vulnerability to global energy shocks; raising urgent questions about gas storage, LNG dependency and whether governments have learned anything from previous crises.

In this episode of PluggedIn, Montel’s Richard speaks with Henning Gloystein from Eurasia Group and Saul Kavonic from MST Marquee about the escalating conflict and growing risks facing energy markets and global supply chains.

Could shipping flows resume within weeks, or are market participants underestimating the...

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Negative power prices  are becoming increasingly commonplace in Europe’s electricity markets.  

With solar generation soaring and renewable buildout accelerating, Europe’s power systems are increasingly producing more electricity than consumers need during certain hours of the day. The result? Wholesale electricity prices falling below zero, with generators effectively paying the market to take their power.

But are negative prices actually a problem — or a sign that the energy transition is working? Should we be celebrating curtailment?

The panel explores why countries like Germany, the Netherlands, France and Spai...

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Norway - and the Nordic power system more generally - have seen fewer instances of negative prices than their continental counterparts in recent weeks. Why has the region been “snorkelling” while others have been plumbing the depths of negative prices.

Norway’s hydropower system is under pressure after one of the coldest winters in 16 years and a prolonged period of low precipitation. Reservoir levels in southern Norway remain well below normal, raising questions about energy security, winter preparedness and the growing role of Europe’s interconnected power markets. 

But is the si...

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Europe may have emerged from winter without a full-scale gas crisis; but with storage levels unusually low, geopolitical tensions rising, and summer-winter price spreads offering little commercial incentive, the real challenge may only just be beginning.

Germany, home to Europe's largest gas storage capacity, is facing mounting pressure to refill ahead of winter while the war in the Middle East, uncertainty around LNG transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and fragile industrial demand all cloud the outlook. Across Europe, policymakers are weighing whether market forces alone can deliver enough supply; or...

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From the streets of Paris to the heart of Europe’s energy regulation, this episode explores how geopolitics, market design and infrastructure are reshaping France’s - and  the continent’s - energy future.

As tensions in the Gulf ripple through global gas prices and Europe’s energy markets,  France finds itself in a uniquely resilient position, buoyed by nuclear power, growing renewables and strong export capacity. But beneath that stability lie complex questions about pricing, interconnectors, and the long-term balance between supply, demand and affordability.

So how can Europe mai...

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Across Europe, power prices are behaving in ways that are leaving even seasoned market participants questioning what they’re seeing. From negative prices to seemingly counterintuitive flows between some price zones, the electricity system is becoming harder to interpret, and certainly more complex.

On April 6, negative prices of EUR -15,000/MWh in Belgium's balancing market highlighted just how volatile and weather-driven Europe's power system has become. But are these signals a sign of dysfunction, or simply the reality of a system in transition?

So, what’s really going on bene...

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A fragile ceasefire in the Gulf offers a moment of relief;  but is it already beginning to unravel and will it have lasting implications for gas supply in the region and far beyond?

Recorded on the morning of April 9, amid fast-moving geopolitical developments, this special episode examines what the latest developments mean for global energy markets, LNG flows, and Europe’s energy security.

Is this ceasefire a genuine turning point, or simply a pause before further escalation? 

Host Richard Sverrisson speaks with Montel’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief Laurence Walker...

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In this episode of Plugged In, we return to Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and their role in Europe’s energy transition.

After years of rapid expansion, the PPA market hit a slowdown in 2025. Falling capture rates, rising negative prices and increasing volatility have made deals harder to structure and price, forcing both buyers and sellers to rethink how risk is shared.

At the same time, renewable capacity continues to grow, reshaping price dynamics and pushing the market into a more complex and mature phase.

So is this a...

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In this episode of Plugged In, we turn to a topic we haven’t covered often; but one that’s rapidly moving back into the spotlight: coal.

As war in the Middle East disrupts LNG supply chains and drives gas prices sharply higher, European power markets are being forced to adapt. With gas-fired generation becoming increasingly expensive, coal is, at least temporarily, regaining economic relevance.

We’re now seeing early signs of increased coal imports, particularly in key markets like Germany, alongside shifting profitability dynamics between coal and gas-fired genera...

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In the third episode of our energy crisis miniseries, we turn to Europe’s power markets, where rising gas prices, renewed volatility and political uncertainty are once again putting the electricity system under pressure.

Although the current crisis is not a repeat of 2022, it is exposing fresh vulnerabilities; from low hydro levels in the Nordics and gas storage concerns in western Europe, to growing questions over market design, interconnectors and the pace of the energy transition.

So how resilient is Europe’s power system this time around? And what happ...

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*** This episode was recorded on Wednesday before attacks on Qatari and Iranian energy infrastructure. But the message from the guests is still highly relevant - the wholesale gas market has not fully priced in the geopolitical risk premium. 

In this second episode of our special series on the war in Iran and its implications for energy markets, we focus on a potential looming gas crisis. As Europe enters the crucial storage refill season with lower-than-usual inventories and a far more complex global backdrop.

Competition for LNG is intensifying, particularly b...

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As wholesale markets remain nervous and volatile, there are renewed calls for policymakers to intervene to shield large energy users from spiking prices. But are markets failing? And could ill-conceived, knee-jerk interventions disrupt the EU’s internal energy market?

Rising geopolitical tensions and disruption to key global shipping routes have pushed gas, power and oil prices sharply higher in recent weeks. While Europe’s energy system is better prepared than it was during the 2022 crisis, volatility in wholesale markets has revived concerns about the impact of rising energy costs on industry.

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Italy has launched one of the most controversial proposals in the European energy market in years.

In a bid to lower electricity prices and boost the competitiveness of Italian industry, the government has proposed shifting the cost of carbon emissions from gas-fired power plants to consumers. Supporters say the move could reduce wholesale power prices and ease pressure on businesses facing high energy costs.

But critics warn it could undermine the foundations of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS); the cornerstone of Europe’s climate policy.

...

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Middle East escalation has put the Strait of Hormuz; the world’s key energy chokepoint, under threat. We assess the impact on Brent crude, European gas (TTF), and global LNG, with a focus on Qatar’s supply and Europe’s exposure.

Joined by Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, Dan Marks, Research Fellow for Energy Security at RUSI, and Henning Gloystein, Eurasia Group, they discuss whether Iran would truly close Hormuz, the risks to shipping and infrastructure, and what comes next for global energy markets...

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This week marks the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine - a war which has unearthed new hybrid warfare tactics and the targeting of crucial gas and electricity infrastructure  in the country. 

What has changed this winter for the people of Ukraine, and will Putin's mission to "freeze Ukraine”  and brutally destroy its energy work? 

In this episode, Richard speaks to guests in Kyiv about the daily realities that the people of Ukraine have experienced this winter without access to heat and power, and the scale of the re...