Coming from the heart of the Montel newsroom, Editor-in-Chief, Snjolfur Richard Sverrisson and his team of journalists explore the news headlines in the energy ...
The UK has announced hugely ambitious plans - clean power by 2030. This will involve a massive roll-out of wind, onshore and offshore, solar as well as an expansion of grids and storage. A challenge, certainly. But not impossible, according to Jonathan Brearley, the chief executive of Ofgem, the UK's energy market regulator. The CEO also explains why the watchdog thinks zonal, rather than national pricing is the best way forward for the country. In the first episode of Plugged In: the energy news podcast we discuss how the country can meet its targets, the obstacles that stand in the way and why the UK is not close to running out of gas. In fact, the UK will need gas in the future, albeit in a significantly less dependent way, according to Ofgem.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News.Guest: Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem; Laurence Walker, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Montel News.
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Norway’s energy crisis, AI and the looming supply squeeze
Norway’s energy sector is at the centre of a dramatic political storm. With an election looming in September, Finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum pulled his Centre Party out of the government, warning of greater dependence on what he calls Europe’s “dysfunctional” electricity market. But political uncertainty is not the only challenge — Norway faces a growing supply deficit, AI-driven demand spikes from data centres, and increasing hurdles in building new capacity. This week, the Montel Weekly Podcast comes to you from Oslo at the Pareto Securities Power & Renewable Energy Conference. Montel’s Petter Udland sets the scene before we hear from Lars Ove Skorpen, Director Power & Renewable Energy at Pareto Securities. We discuss the government crisis over the EU’s 4th Energy Package, the impact of AI and DeepSeek on Norway’s power demand, the challenges of expanding interconnectors, and why investment in new capacity is not keeping up with demand. Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel. Guests: Lars Ove Skorpen - Director Power & Renewable Energy, Pareto Securities Petter Udland, Montel journalist, Oslo
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Trump 2.0 pivots to gas
In his first hours back in office, US president Donald Trump issued a series of sweeping executive orders designed to prioritise fossil fuels, dismantle environmental policies and expand American energy dominance. From withdrawing from the Paris agreement to resuming LNG export permits and halting offshore wind projects, Trump’s agenda marks a dramatic pivot from the previous administration.This week’s Montel Weekly Podcast delves into the consequences of these policy shifts on global energy markets, renewables and climate goals. Are Europe’s LNG needs creating new dependencies? How will domestic opposition shape the future of US energy?Host Richard Sverrisson is joined by Montel’s Andres Cala and energy analyst Henning Gloystein to break down these developments. They discuss the challenges for renewables, the strategic importance of US LNG, and whether Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” strategy will deliver on its promises.Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel.Guests: Henning Gloystein - Director, Energy, Climate & Resources at Eurasia GroupAndres Cala - LNG Correspondent, Montel News
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Hybrid energy war in the Baltic
The recent damage to the Estlink 2 electricity cable running between Finland and Estonia has highlighted the precarious nature of power supply amid increased fears of a hybrid war with Russia.Finnish police are investigating whether a ship with links to Russia was involved in sabotage, with the cable – set to be offline for months for repairs – thought to have been damaged by the vessel’s trailing anchor.In response, Nato has enhanced its military presence in the Baltic Sea, while Estonia has sent a patrol ship to protect the remaining Estlink 1 power cable.This week’s pod discusses the spate of cuts to data and power links that could point to such nefarious activities, the market impact and the volatile political situation in northern Europe which evokes memories of the Cold War. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief, Montel. Guests: Prof Paula Kivimaa, Research Professor at the Finnish Environment Institute in Helsinki; Fredrik Bodecker, Founding Partner and CEO of Bodecker Partners in Malmo; Olav Vilnes, Nordics Editor, Montel News.
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Elections and Energy – Germany's path forward
Germany’s energy sector is at a pivotal moment, with political shifts, economic challenges, and the energy transition shaping its future. This week on the Montel Weekly Podcast, Katharina Johannsen, Montel’s Berlin reporter, and Tobias Federico, senior analyst at Montel Analytics, join us to discuss key issues ahead of Germany’s February election.We’ll explore how political changes, including Elon Musk’s favourite German party and the prospect of a Trump presidency, could impact energy policy and markets. The episode also delves into the downturn in German industrial production, expectations for energy prices in 2025, and the critical challenges facing Germany’s energy transition. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief, Montel Guests: Tobias Federico , Managing Director, Senior Analyst, Montel Analytics; Katharina Johannsen – Berlin Correspondent, Montel News
Coming from the heart of the Montel newsroom, Editor-in-Chief, Snjolfur Richard Sverrisson and his team of journalists explore the news headlines in the energy sector, bringing you in depth analysis of the industry’s leading stories each week. Richard speaks to experts, analysts, regulators, and senior business leaders to the examine not just the what, but the why behind the decisions directing the markets and shaping the global transition to a green economy. New episodes are available every Friday.
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