The Energy Revolution

Energy security is on everyone's mind right now. Since Israel and the US struck Iran and Iran's strikes across the Gulf nations, oil prices have soared over $100 a barrel and the Straits of Hormuz remain blockaded. But this isn't the first time we've seen such a shock. Just 4 years ago Russia's full invasion of Ukraine caused a global energy crisis, and any historian will remember the shocks of the 1970s that near collapsed the world economy. So what is the future of energy security, and can a renewable based system make us more resilient in an uncertain world? This week we're joined by Ana Musat, an Executive Director at Renewable UK, to discuss a recent report in collaboration with Public First and the Royal United Services Institute, the world's oldest defence think tank.The episode is hosted by Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, who served as energy security advisor at No10 Downing Street during the 2022 energy crisis, and as Head of Policy and Strategy for Renewable Delivery at the UK Department for Energy.We touch on the recent crisis in the Middle East, lessons from Ukraine, and what future security challenges we'll have to watch out for as renewables become the norm.Keywords:Geopolitics | Energy | Trump | Renewables | Solar | Wind | Gas

What's the stock market got to do with renewables?While there's a lot of focus on the rise of private equity in the infrastructure space, there is still a strong tradition in the UK of listed infrastructure funds, and of retail investors wanting to invest in the energy transition more widely.So is there still a case for public markets? And where do they fit into the overall picture of renewable finance?Our guest this week is Minesh Shah, Managing Director at Infrared Capital Partners, who lead the management of the Renewable Infrastructure Group , one of the first and largest listed funds, and part of the FTSE-250 Index. The show is hosted by Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, former senior government advisor and Policy Fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy.Keywords:Stocks and Shares | Investment | Energy | Renewables | Solar | Wind

Do you find politics obtuse? Struggling to keep up with the twists and turns of energy decisions?With an endless web of party politics, departmental differences, and think-tanks pumping out ideas, it can be hard to know what the government is really thinking and how decisions get made.Our guest this week is Sam Alvis, Head of Energy Security and Environment at IPPR, the influential think-tank, and an expert on UK energy politics. Both he and our host, Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, draw on their own experience working with politicians and the policy process to explain what actually goes into decision making on energy, and what will define the next few years of energy politics.The conversation ranges from the practical bits like what think-tanks really do, to specific questions around what government can do around bills and whether the CfD could survive a (theoretical) Reform government.Subscribe for regular podcasts!Keywords:Labour | Energy | Renewables | Oil and Gas | Bills | Cost of living

Andrew Sissons, Director for the Sustainable Future Mission at Nesta and expert on growth and climate, dissects why UK growth has been weak since 2008. He explores Brexit, underinvestment, and why the energy transition both competes for and could attract investment. Topics include electricity vs gas pricing, electrification of heat and transport, market structure, and targeted policy to boost clean-tech and exports.

Can AI make our grid better and more reliable? Or are AI solutions overhyped by execs and consultants that don't understand the technology?This week we look at a real world case of AI being used to identify damaged equipment on the UK grid, and improve the way that network operators maintain their infrastructure.The episode covers the various types of AI models and what they can, and cannot, usefully do in the energy system - with lessons for anyone hoping to see AI brought into their work.Our guest is Amjad Karim, Founder and CEO of Keen AI. With degrees from Imperial, University of Cambridge, and University College London, Amjad is a real technical expert that talks to the opportunities of various AI models, as well as their limitations.The podcast is hosted by Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, former senior government advisor and Policy Fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy.Key words:AI | Chatgpt | Automation | OpenAI | Energy | Renewables | Security | Nvidia | Deep Learning

What does the future look like for fossil fuel demand? OPEC and large oil and gas companies are bullish, but the rapid rollout of clean tech is undermining many of their claims.Our guest this week is Molly Walton, who worked on the World Energy Outlook at the International Energy Agency and is now Director for Energy at the We Mean Business Coalition.She joins Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, a former senior government advisor and current Policy Fellow at the University of Cambridge, to discuss the range of energy scenarios out there and why much of future oil and gas demand is in doubt.The two discuss the rise of electrification, the new energy economics of the developing world, and why energy security looks different in low fossil fuel world. They also touch on the recent geopolitics of energy, from China to Venezuela and Iran.You can read the report discussed in the podcast here:https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/fossil-fuel-demand-in-doubt/

Energy is all about deals. Assets are bought, sold, and refinanced. Companies are acquired, portfolios consolidated. But what goes into making these deals happen, and what can they tell us about the energy sector at large?This week we're joined by Gareth Baker, a partner at the law firm Gowling WLG with over 15 years of experience working on some of the highest profile deals in the energy sector. Alongside our host, Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, Gareth discusses how the art of the deal has evolved as old energy technologies have been replaced by renewables and batteries, as well as current trends in the sector such as the rise of private equity firms and the increasing rate of M&As we're seeing in the sector.You can contact Gareth and the team here to inquire about Gowling WLG's work and how they can help with your legal needs:https://gowlingwlg.com/en/people/gareth-bakerGowling WLG are a sponsor of the Energy Revolution Podcast.Keywords:Renewables | Solar | Wind | Data centres | Tech | AI | Private Equity | Finance | Law | M&A

The UK is in a cost of living crisis, and energy prices in particular are constantly hitting the headlines.Fuel poverty has been climbing, and many on middle or even higher incomes are struggling with costs too.How did we get here? And what can be done to tackle the problem? In this episode we are joined by Tilly Cook of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. We hear some real stories about what fuel poverty looks like for people in the UK, and talk about some possible solutions the government could consider.The show is hosted by Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, a former senior government advisor and Policy Fellow at the University of Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy.Keywords:Renwables | Gas | Power | Bills | Politics |

Juan Pablo Cerda, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Renewabl, modernizes corporate power purchase agreements with data and tech. He talks about why PPAs still matter, evolving PPA structures like pay-as-produced and shaped contracts, and the tech and metering needed for 24/7 hourly renewable matching.

How does innovation actually happen? Energy technologies are changing fast, but we'll need to change even faster if we're going to achieve a decarbonized economy. This week, we're joined by Michael Rea, CEO of the Carbon Trust, who has over 25 years experience building clean energy innovation systems in the UK, in everything from carbon accounting to the early days of offshore wind.Alongside our host Sulaiman Ilyas-Jarrett, former government advisor and Policy Fellow at Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy, the discussion draws on examples from the real world as well as the latest research on what makes innovation systems tick.Subscribe and comment to support the show.Keywords:Energy | Renewables | EV | Carbon Capture | Innovation | Tech