Energy Unplugged by Aurora

Epizódy

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  Can Japan Build a Battery Market? EP. 306 15.09.2026 30min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Hugo Batten, Managing Director of Aurora APAC, and Arthur Yanagisawa, Head of Advisory for Japan at Aurora Energy Research, are joined by Virginie Sandilya, Chief Investment Officer of Shizen International and Head of Project Finance for the Shizen Energy Group.  Japan knows it needs batteries. The question is whether the market can build them fast enough.  Investor appetite remains strong, but the industry's biggest challenges are no longer technological. Grid congestion, rising interest rates, revenue uncertainty and increasingly competitive access to transmission are creating new hurdles for developers trying to reach financial close.  Drawing on experience from both the lending and development sides of the industry, Virginie shares her perspective on what separates successful projects from the rest, why bankability remains a central challenge, and how developers are navigating a rapidly evolving market.  In many ways, Japan's battery market has reached an inflection point. Investor appetite is there. The technology is proven. The question is whether the market structure can keep up.  Main topics include:  Why securing a grid connection may matter more than securing financing  Can merchant battery projects attract debt at scale?  The battle between contracted certainty and merchant upside  Could data centres unlock the next phase of battery deployment? 
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  What Happens When a Market Moves Fast? EP. 305 - Video Edition 08.09.2026 27min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Laura Picardo, Aurora Energy Research's Advisory Lead for Mexico, is joined by William Judd, Manager – Origination & Execution, LatAm at Cubico Sustainable Investments.  After years of limited renewable deployment, Mexico's energy transition is moving again.  New investment mechanisms, major regulatory reforms, and ambitious deployment targets are creating fresh momentum in one of Latin America's most important power markets. But this isn't simply a return to business as usual. Mexico is attempting to accelerate renewable deployment while integrating battery storage from the outset and building new partnerships between private developers and the state-owned utility, CFE.  Drawing on Cubico's decade-long experience in the country, William discusses the market's resurgence, the opportunities created by the new mixed-investment model, and the realities of delivering large-scale renewable and storage projects on compressed timelines.  The conversation also explores what Mexico can learn from markets like Chile and Uruguay, and whether the country can combine political ambition, private capital and strategic planning to deliver its next wave of clean energy growth.  Main topics include:  Why Mexico's renewable sector is entering a new phase of growth  The rise of long-term partnerships between CFE and private developers  How battery storage is being integrated into renewable projects from day one  The key opportunities and challenges facing Mexico's next energy boom 
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  What Happens When a Market Moves Fast? EP. 305 08.09.2026 28min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Laura Picardo, Aurora Energy Research's Advisory Lead for Mexico, is joined by William Judd, Manager – Origination & Execution, LatAm at Cubico Sustainable Investments.  After years of limited renewable deployment, Mexico's energy transition is moving again.  New investment mechanisms, major regulatory reforms, and ambitious deployment targets are creating fresh momentum in one of Latin America's most important power markets. But this isn't simply a return to business as usual. Mexico is attempting to accelerate renewable deployment while integrating battery storage from the outset and building new partnerships between private developers and the state-owned utility, CFE.  Drawing on Cubico's decade-long experience in the country, William discusses the market's resurgence, the opportunities created by the new mixed-investment model, and the realities of delivering large-scale renewable and storage projects on compressed timelines.  The conversation also explores what Mexico can learn from markets like Chile and Uruguay, and whether the country can combine political ambition, private capital and strategic planning to deliver its next wave of clean energy growth.  Main topics include:  Why Mexico's renewable sector is entering a new phase of growth  The rise of long-term partnerships between CFE and private developers  How battery storage is being integrated into renewable projects from day one  The key opportunities and challenges facing Mexico's next energy boom 
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  From Power Crisis to Power Market EP.304 01.09.2026 39min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Caroline Still, Aurora Energy Research's Market Lead for South Africa, is joined by Jan Fourie, CEO of Mulilo.  Just a few years ago, South Africa's priority was clear: end load shedding. Today, the challenge looks very different.  As private investment accelerates and the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) begins to take shape, the industry is shifting its focus from simply adding megawatts to building a power system that can deliver reliable, affordable electricity over the long term.  Drawing on a front-row seat to South Africa's rapidly evolving power sector, Jan discusses why transmission has emerged as the industry's biggest bottleneck, how batteries are changing the economics of renewable energy, and why flexibility could become one of the most valuable commodities in the country's future electricity market.  The conversation also explores the role of patient capital, the evolution of power procurement, and whether South Africa has the opportunity to do something few countries have managed successfully: build a competitive electricity market while simultaneously transforming its generation fleet.  Main topics include:  South Africa's transition from energy crisis to market reform  Why transmission, storage and flexibility are becoming critical to the next phase of growth  The role of batteries, curtailment and market signals in a changing power system  How SAWEM could reshape investment, competition and electricity pricing in South Africa 
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  China's Renewable Boom Enters Its Hardest Phase EP. 303 25.08.2026 44min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Lara Panjkov, Aurora Energy Research's Head of Research for APAC, and Zelin Chen, Aurora's Market and Research Lead for China, are joined by Anders Hove, Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.  For years, the story of China's energy transition was one of scale: more solar, more wind, more batteries, more transmission.  Now the challenge is changing.  As renewable generation surges and power demand continues to grow, China's focus is shifting from building clean energy capacity to integrating it. That transition is exposing new questions around market design, system flexibility, provincial decision-making and the role of coal, gas and storage in an increasingly renewable power system.  Drawing on more than a decade of experience studying China's energy sector, Anders reflects on China's rise from low-cost manufacturer to global clean energy leader and explains why the country's power sector has entered what he describes as its "messy midgame".  The conversation explores the latest Five-Year Plan, the evolution of renewable support mechanisms, the growing importance of flexibility, and whether China's biggest challenge is no longer building infrastructure, but using it more effectively.  Main topics include:  China's rise from clean energy follower to clean energy leader  Why integrating renewables is becoming harder than building them  The push and pull between central planning, provincial governments and market reform  Whether flexibility, not infrastructure, will determine the success of China's energy transition 
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  Why Higher Interest Rates May Be Good for Clean Energy EP. 302 18.08.2026 38min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Oliver Kerr, Aurora Energy Research's Managing Director for North America, is joined by Declan Flanagan, CEO of Blue Star Energy Capital.  For much of the past decade, renewable energy development was shaped by abundant capital, falling technology costs, and ever-growing pipelines. Today, the industry is operating in a very different environment.  Demand growth is back, driven in part by AI and data centres. Project costs are rising. Capital is more expensive. And developers are being forced to rethink some of the assumptions that defined the industry's last growth cycle.  Drawing on more than two decades of experience building renewable energy businesses, Declan shares his perspective on where capital is flowing, why the US remains the standout market for renewables, and how project development is evolving as the sector matures.  The conversation also explores the realities of greenfield development, the growing importance of execution and transmission infrastructure, and why Declan believes higher interest rates and a gradual move away from tax credits could ultimately be healthy for the energy transition.  Main topics include:  How renewable energy development has evolved over the past 20 years  AI, data centres and the return of electricity demand growth  Capital discipline, rising project costs and changing market dynamics  Why execution may become the industry's greatest competitive advantage 
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  We Built the Renewables. So Why Are Bills Still Rising? EP. 301 11.08.2026 43min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Marc Hedin, Head of Research for Western Europe & Africa at Aurora Energy Research, is joined by Rachel Fletcher, Director of Regulation & Economics at Octopus Energy, to tackle a question at the heart of Britain’s energy debate: why are electricity bills so high, and what would it take to bring them down?  As the UK pushes ahead with electrification, Rachel argues that the challenge is no longer just about building more renewable generation. Instead, the conversation explores whether the current market design, network investment strategy, and approach to flexibility are fit for a rapidly changing power system.  The discussion examines the drivers behind rising bills, the role of flexibility and electric vehicles in lowering system costs, and the policy choices that could shape the next phase of the energy transition. Rachel also shares her views on locational pricing, the future role of gas, and the reforms she believes would make the biggest difference for consumers.  Main topics include:  What is really driving high electricity bills in Great Britain  How flexibility, batteries and EVs could reshape the power system  The debate over grid expansion, market design and locational pricing  The reforms needed to support electrification and lower costs 
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  We Built the Renewables. So Why Are Bills Still Rising? EP. 301 - Video Edition 11.08.2026 43min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Mark Hedin, Head of Research for Western Europe & Africa at Aurora Energy Research, is joined by Rachel Fletcher, Director of Regulation & Economics at Octopus Energy, to tackle a question at the heart of Britain’s energy debate: why are electricity bills so high, and what would it take to bring them down?  As the UK pushes ahead with electrification, Rachel argues that the challenge is no longer just about building more renewable generation. Instead, the conversation explores whether the current market design, network investment strategy, and approach to flexibility are fit for a rapidly changing power system.  The discussion examines the drivers behind rising bills, the role of flexibility and electric vehicles in lowering system costs, and the policy choices that could shape the next phase of the energy transition. Rachel also shares her views on locational pricing, the future role of gas, and the reforms she believes would make the biggest difference for consumers.  Main topics include:  What is really driving high electricity bills in Great Britain  How flexibility, batteries and EVs could reshape the power system  The debate over grid expansion, market design and locational pricing  The reforms needed to support electrification and lower costs 
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  When Success Becomes the Challenge EP. 300 04.08.2026 53min

  As we celebrate a milestone 300 episodes of Energy Unplugged, Richard Howard, Aurora Energy Research's Global Research Director, is joined by Aurora's regional Managing Directors from around the world to explore a defining question for the energy transition: what happens after the first phase of success?     For much of the past decade, the challenge was clear: deploy clean technologies at scale. Wind and solar needed to become cheaper. Investment needed to accelerate. Policymakers needed to create the right incentives. While significant work remains, that first phase has delivered enormous progress.    The next phase may prove more difficult. The challenge is no longer simply building clean generation but adapting the systems around it. As renewable capacity continues to grow, grids are becoming congested, curtailment is rising, market designs are being tested, and new sources of demand are emerging. The energy transition's greatest challenge today may be managing the consequences of its own success.    Drawing on perspectives from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa, this special episode examines whether power systems, markets and policymakers can keep pace with the technologies driving the transition forward.    Taken together, these conversations suggest that the energy transition is entering a more complex and consequential phase. The first challenge was deploying clean technologies at scale. The next is integrating them into power systems that were never designed for a high-renewable world. From grid expansion and market reform to flexibility, storage and AI-driven demand, the coming decade will be defined not by whether the transition can grow, but by whether the system around it can keep up.    You will learn about:  How the energy transition is progressing across different regions of the world.  Why renewable success is increasingly creating challenges around grids, markets, and investment.  How batteries, flexibility, and electrification are reshaping power systems.  What different regions can learn from one another's experiences.  What needs to happen between now and 2035 to keep the transition on track. 
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  Can Data Centres Earn Their Power? EP.299 28.07.2026 51min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Oliver Kerr, Aurora Energy Research’s Managing Director for North America, is joined by Arushi Sharma Frank, Founder of Luminary Strategies and one of the leading thinkers shaping the future of power markets in the age of AI.  As data centre demand surges across the United States, electricity has become a critical constraint on growth. The challenge is no longer simply building more infrastructure - but finding new ways to use the grid more efficiently and connect large loads faster.  Drawing on her work at the centre of recent market reforms in Texas, Arushi argues that flexibility, not just new transmission and generation, will be essential to unlocking the next phase of AI-led growth. The conversation examines how large electricity users could become active participants in the power system, helping to relieve constraints, improve reliability, and accelerate access to power.  From regulatory innovation and grid planning to distributed energy resources and flexible computing, Oliver and Arushi discuss how power markets may need to evolve as electricity demand rises to levels not seen in decades.    You will learn about:  Why AI is transforming the way power systems think about large-load interconnection.  How flexible demand could help unlock grid capacity and accelerate access to power.  Why Texas is emerging as a testing ground for new approaches to grid flexibility.  How batteries, distributed energy resources, and workload shifting could reshape power system planning.  What utilities, policymakers, and large customers need to do to support the next phase of electricity demand growth.  Interested in continuing the conversation? Join us at the Aurora Energy Transition Forum New York 2026, where 250 senior leaders from across the energy sector will debate the future of power markets, grid reliability, AI-driven demand growth, and infrastructure investment. Use code PODCAST20 for 20% off your ticket.     For more information on what has been discussed in today's episode, please see the below resources: • Dispatchability, Not Vibes: What PJM Market Monitor Gets Right—and Misses—on Data Centers Flex https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/dispatchability-not-vibes-what-pjm • The Grid Provides the Floor. The Private Sector Must Firm the Rest. Data Center "Flex" Needs New Language Fit For Purpose - Dynamic Firming is Speed to Power. https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/the-grid-provides-the-floor-the-private • PCLR Origin Story Part 1: Speed to Power for Large Loads in ERCOT EPRI Summer Seminar, the Pacific Ocean, and the Public Good Nature of Championing Market Design Reform. https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/origin-story-speed-to-power-for-ai • PCLR Origin Story Part 2: Speed to Power for AI Loads in ERCOT How to get ERCOT comfortable with "managing" controllable load in exchange for earlier "connection" - NPRR1188 as PGRR134 Foundation  https://arushisharmafrank.substack.com/cp/192362539 • PCLR Origin Story Part 3: 60% of Data Center Load should be Dispatch-Ready  https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/pclr-origin-story-part-3-60-of-data • Global Capacity Alliance: https://globalcapacityalliance.org/ • Book recommendation: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/books/7-rules-of-power/
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  BONUS EPISODE: The Hidden Challenge Behind Brazil's Energy Boom 23.07.2026 18min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Rodrigo Borges, Aurora Energy Research’s Market Lead for Brazil, is joined by Carla Primavera, Deputy Managing Director at BNDES, the Brazilian Development Bank. BNDES has been central to Brazil’s energy transition, financing renewables from early utility-scale wind and solar to the next generation of low-carbon technologies.  Brazil’s power market is entering a new phase. Wind and solar have grown faster than demand and transmission infrastructure, driving curtailment, price volatility, and tougher project economics. Yet long-term demand growth is expected to trigger a substantial new investment cycle.  Rodrigo and Carla discuss how Brazil can move from today’s oversupplied market to the next wave of energy investment, including how lenders are adapting to curtailment, revenue uncertainty, and more sophisticated financing structures.  The discussion also covers grid expansion, storage, and flexibility, with Carla explaining how BNDES is approaching batteries, smart grids, sustainable fuels, low-carbon hydrogen, and why regulation will be key to Brazil’s next phase of growth.  You will learn about:  Why Brazil’s renewable energy success has led to new challenges around curtailment and price volatility.  How project finance structures are evolving to address changing market risks.  What role BNDES is playing in supporting Brazil’s next wave of clean energy investment.  Why are batteries and other flexibility technologies becoming increasingly important to the power system.  How Brazil can prepare for a new investment cycle as electricity demand begins to absorb today’s surplus capacity. 
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  Can the Grid Keep Up with AI? EP. 298 21.07.2026 35min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Oliver Kerr, Aurora Energy Research’s Managing Director for North America, is joined by Seyed Madaeni, Co-Founder and CEO of Verse. Drawing on decades of experience in power markets, energy storage, and grid software, Seyed shares his perspective on one of the biggest challenges facing the energy sector today: how to power the AI revolution.    As data centre development accelerates across the United States, electricity has emerged as a critical constraint on growth. Utilities face mounting pressure to connect large new loads, while grid infrastructure, planning processes, and regulatory frameworks struggle to keep pace with demand.  Oliver and Seyed discuss why flexibility may be one of the most powerful tools available to relieve pressure on the grid. From behind-the-meter batteries and on-site generation to smarter software and new planning approaches, the conversation explores how large electricity users could become active participants in the power system rather than simply consumers of it.    The discussion also examines the role of data centres in reshaping electricity markets, the growing importance of “speed to power”, and the policy reforms needed to unlock grid capacity more quickly. As the AI race intensifies, the challenge is not just building more generation and transmission - it is finding smarter ways to use the infrastructure that already exists.     You will learn about:  Why electricity has become a critical bottleneck for AI and data centre growth.  How flexible demand and behind-the-meter resources can help unlock grid capacity.  Why software is becoming increasingly important in power system planning and optimisation.  How the AI boom could reshape electricity demand, grid investment, and power markets over the coming decade.    Interested in continuing the conversation? Join us at the Aurora Energy Transition Forum New York 2026, where 250 senior leaders from across the energy sector will debate the future of power markets, grid reliability, AI-driven demand growth, and infrastructure investment. Use code PODCAST20 for 20% off your ticket.
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  Without Metals, there is no Energy Transition EP. 297 - Video Edition 14.07.2026 46min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Richard Howard, Aurora Energy Research's Global Research Director, is joined by Georgina Hallett, Chief Sustainability Officer & Head of Physical Markets at the London Metal Exchange (LME). The Energy Transition is often described as a shift from fossil fuels to clean electricity. But behind every solar panel, wind turbine, battery and transmission line sits another story - one built from copper, aluminium, nickel and other critical metals.  As governments and businesses race towards net zero, demand for these materials is surging. Yet growing supply is far from straightforward. The world needs more mining, more processing, and more investment, while simultaneously facing rising expectations around environmental performance, transparency, and responsible sourcing.  Richard and Georgina explore whether the energy transition is, in reality, a metals transition. They discuss the scale of the challenge facing global supply chains, the increasingly strategic importance of critical minerals, and whether security of supply, affordability and sustainability can all be achieved at the same time.  The conversation also lifts the lid on the hidden machinery of global metals markets. Georgina explains how the London Metal Exchange helps price and manage risk across some of the world's most important commodities, and why transparency is becoming a critical ingredient in the transition to a lower-carbon economy.  You will learn:  Why metals are becoming one of the defining constraints - and opportunities - of the energy transition.  Whether critical mineral supply can keep pace with growing electrification and net-zero ambitions.  How sustainability standards, traceability and transparency are reshaping global metals markets.  Why sustainable metals could increasingly command a premium.  How critical minerals are becoming central to energy security, industrial strategy and geopolitics. 
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  Without Metals, there is no Energy Transition EP. 297 14.07.2026 47min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Richard Howard, Aurora Energy Research's Global Research Director, is joined by Georgina Hallett, Chief Sustainability Officer & Head of Physical Markets at the London Metal Exchange (LME). The Energy Transition is often described as a shift from fossil fuels to clean electricity. But behind every solar panel, wind turbine, battery and transmission line sits another story - one built from copper, aluminium, nickel and other critical metals.  As governments and businesses race towards net zero, demand for these materials is surging. Yet growing supply is far from straightforward. The world needs more mining, more processing, and more investment, while simultaneously facing rising expectations around environmental performance, transparency, and responsible sourcing.  Richard and Georgina explore whether the energy transition is, in reality, a metals transition. They discuss the scale of the challenge facing global supply chains, the increasingly strategic importance of critical minerals, and whether security of supply, affordability and sustainability can all be achieved at the same time.  The conversation also lifts the lid on the hidden machinery of global metals markets. Georgina explains how the London Metal Exchange helps price and manage risk across some of the world's most important commodities, and why transparency is becoming a critical ingredient in the transition to a lower-carbon economy.  You will learn:  Why metals are becoming one of the defining constraints - and opportunities - of the energy transition.  Whether critical mineral supply can keep pace with growing electrification and net-zero ambitions.  How sustainability standards, traceability and transparency are reshaping global metals markets.  Why sustainable metals could increasingly command a premium.  How critical minerals are becoming central to energy security, industrial strategy and geopolitics. 
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  Designing Resilient Power Systems: Lessons from the Iberian Blackout Ep. 296 07.07.2026 33min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Richard Howard, Aurora Energy Research’s Global Research Director, is joined by Christina Rentell, Research Lead for Aurora’s French and Iberian power markets. Drawing on her expertise in renewable energy, battery storage, market design, and electricity system modelling, Christina helps explain what really caused the April 2025 Iberian blackout and what it means for power systems operating with high levels of renewable generation.  Together, they take a deep dive into the April 2025 blackout, which left around 60 million people across Spain and Portugal without power for up to 18 hours. Richard and Christina unpack the events that led to the outage, examine the role of record-breaking solar generation, and explore whether renewables were truly to blame for one of Europe’s most significant power system disruptions in recent history.  The discussion looks beyond the headlines to investigate the technical causes of the blackout, including voltage instability, system oscillations, and the lack of sufficient inertia and flexibility services on the grid. Christina explains why a highly renewable power system requires new operational tools, market mechanisms, and grid capabilities, and why the blackout was ultimately as much a challenge of system design as it was of renewable penetration.  You will learn:  Why the Iberian blackout was not caused by renewables alone, but by the interaction between high renewable penetration and insufficient system readiness.  How voltage instability, oscillations, and a lack of inertia triggered a cascading failure across the Iberian grid.  Why are batteries, storage technologies, and ancillary service markets becoming essential for reliable power system operation.  How Spain’s grid operators and policymakers have responded through new market mechanisms, enhanced system visibility, and operational reforms.  What the blackout reveals about the challenges of managing curtailment, grid congestion, and investment risk in increasingly renewable-dominated power systems. 
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  Designing Resilient Power Systems: Lessons from the Iberian Blackout EP.296 - Video Edition 07.07.2026 33min

  This week on Energy Unplugged, Richard Howard, Aurora Energy Research’s Global Research Director, is joined by Christina Rentell, Research Lead for Aurora’s French and Iberian power markets. Drawing on her expertise in renewable energy, battery storage, market design, and electricity system modelling, Christina helps explain what really caused the April 2025 Iberian blackout and what it means for power systems operating with high levels of renewable generation.  Together, they take a deep dive into the April 2025 blackout, which left around 60 million people across Spain and Portugal without power for up to 18 hours. Richard and Christina unpack the events that led to the outage, examine the role of record-breaking solar generation, and explore whether renewables were truly to blame for one of Europe’s most significant power system disruptions in recent history.  The discussion looks beyond the headlines to investigate the technical causes of the blackout, including voltage instability, system oscillations, and the lack of sufficient inertia and flexibility services on the grid. Christina explains why a highly renewable power system requires new operational tools, market mechanisms, and grid capabilities, and why the blackout was ultimately as much a challenge of system design as it was of renewable penetration.  You will learn:  Why the Iberian blackout was not caused by renewables alone, but by the interaction between high renewable penetration and insufficient system readiness.  How voltage instability, oscillations, and a lack of inertia triggered a cascading failure across the Iberian grid.  Why are batteries, storage technologies, and ancillary service markets becoming essential for reliable power system operation.  How Spain’s grid operators and policymakers have responded through new market mechanisms, enhanced system visibility, and operational reforms.  What the blackout reveals about the challenges of managing curtailment, grid congestion, and investment risk in increasingly renewable-dominated power systems. 
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  The Solar Boom Meets the Grid, EP 295 - Video Edition 30.06.2026 46min

  This week on the Energy Unplugged podcast, Richard Howard, Global Research Director, Aurora is joined by Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, to discuss the state of the global solar industry and the opportunities and challenges that come with its rapid growth.  The conversation explores why solar deployment is experiencing a temporary slowdown in some markets despite continued long-term growth, the impact of China's evolving electricity market, and the growing importance of battery storage in managing curtailment, congestion and system flexibility. Richard and Sonia also discuss how market design, grid investment and regulatory reform will be critical to supporting higher shares of renewable energy in power systems around the world.  Looking ahead, they examine the future role of solar and storage in the global energy system, the evolution of supply chains and recycling, and the increasing importance of distributed energy resources, from rooftop solar to household batteries.  Sonia Dunlop is CEO of the Global Solar Council, the world's solar PV and battery storage industry association, representing companies and national industry associations across every region and market segment. Prior to joining the Global Solar Council, she held roles at SolarPower Europe, Solar Energy UK and the RE-Source Platform, and spent five years with climate think tank E3G. Sonia also worked on the UK government's COP26 organising team and began her career working on renewable energy policy in the European Parliament. She currently serves in a number of leadership positions across the global renewables sector, including as Vice Chair of the Global Renewables Alliance and Vice President of REN21.  You will learn about:  What's driving the recent slowdown in global solar deployment.   How battery storage is helping solve grid integration challenges.   Why flexibility markets and grid reform are becoming increasingly important.   The growing role of distributed solar and consumer-led investment. 
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  The Solar Boom Meets the Grid, EP 295 30.06.2026 47min

  This week on the Energy Unplugged podcast, Richard Howard, Global Research Director, Aurora is joined by Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, to discuss the state of the global solar industry and the opportunities and challenges that come with its rapid growth.  The conversation explores why solar deployment is experiencing a temporary slowdown in some markets despite continued long-term growth, the impact of China's evolving electricity market, and the growing importance of battery storage in managing curtailment, congestion and system flexibility. Richard and Sonia also discuss how market design, grid investment and regulatory reform will be critical to supporting higher shares of renewable energy in power systems around the world.  Looking ahead, they examine the future role of solar and storage in the global energy system, the evolution of supply chains and recycling, and the increasing importance of distributed energy resources, from rooftop solar to household batteries.  Sonia Dunlop is CEO of the Global Solar Council, the world's solar PV and battery storage industry association, representing companies and national industry associations across every region and market segment. Prior to joining the Global Solar Council, she held roles at SolarPower Europe, Solar Energy UK and the RE-Source Platform, and spent five years with climate think tank E3G. Sonia also worked on the UK government's COP26 organising team and began her career working on renewable energy policy in the European Parliament. She currently serves in a number of leadership positions across the global renewables sector, including as Vice Chair of the Global Renewables Alliance and Vice President of REN21.  You will learn about:  What's driving the recent slowdown in global solar deployment.   How battery storage is helping solve grid integration challenges.   Why flexibility markets and grid reform are becoming increasingly important.   The growing role of distributed solar and consumer-led investment. 
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  SAWEM: Can South Africa Build a Competitive Power Market? EP. 294 23.06.2026 36min

  In this episode of Energy Unplugged, two of Aurora’s energy market experts, Dan Monzani, Managing Director for UK, Ireland and South Africa, and Caroline Still, Market Lead - South Africa, examine one of the most ambitious electricity market reform programmes underway anywhere in the world.  Their conversation examines South Africa’s transition from a vertically integrated, state-led power system towards a competitive wholesale electricity market, and what the launch of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) could mean for investors, developers and consumers.  Dan and Caroline discuss how spot markets can improve transparency, strengthen investment signals and accelerate private participation in the power sector. They also explore the challenges that remain, from market design and vesting contracts to transmission buildout, coal retirements and maintaining regulatory momentum throughout the reform process.  The discussion highlights how South Africa’s energy transition reflects many of the challenges seen globally, balancing market liberalisation, infrastructure investment and security of supply, while creating new opportunities for renewables, battery storage and innovative power procurement models.  You will learn: Why SAWEM represents a major milestone in South Africa’s electricity market reform journey  How spot markets support price discovery, competition and investor confidence  The key design questions around vesting contracts and market liquidity  Long-term power price drivers, including demand growth, coal retirements, gas and transmission expansion  The opportunities for batteries, aggregators and private capital in South Africa’s evolving power market 
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  SAWEM: Can South Africa Build a Competitive Power Market? EP. 294 - Video Edition 23.06.2026 35min

  In this episode of Energy Unplugged, two of Aurora’s energy market experts, Dan Monzani, Managing Director for UK, Ireland and South Africa, and Caroline Still, Market Lead - South Africa, examine one of the most ambitious electricity market reform programmes underway anywhere in the world.  Their conversation examines South Africa’s transition from a vertically integrated, state-led power system towards a competitive wholesale electricity market, and what the launch of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) could mean for investors, developers and consumers.  Dan and Caroline discuss how spot markets can improve transparency, strengthen investment signals and accelerate private participation in the power sector. They also explore the challenges that remain, from market design and vesting contracts to transmission buildout, coal retirements and maintaining regulatory momentum throughout the reform process.  The discussion highlights how South Africa’s energy transition reflects many of the challenges seen globally, balancing market liberalisation, infrastructure investment and security of supply, while creating new opportunities for renewables, battery storage and innovative power procurement models.  You will learn: Why SAWEM represents a major milestone in South Africa’s electricity market reform journey  How spot markets support price discovery, competition and investor confidence  The key design questions around vesting contracts and market liquidity  Long-term power price drivers, including demand growth, coal retirements, gas and transmission expansion  The opportunities for batteries, aggregators and private capital in South Africa’s evolving power market