Redefining Energy

Gerard is invited by Ana Conde from PVcase to make the case for solar paired with storage as the economic foundation of the future energy system.

We are in the midst of a technological revolution driven by electrification and AI. But building the energy system that can power this shift requires more than adding new capacity — it demands system-level thinking, new coordination mechanisms, and new financial models to ensure a smooth transition.

They explore how solar moved from a niche technology to the backbone of modern energy infrastructure and why pairing it with storage is no longer optional for project bankability and long-term competitiveness.

They discuss how grid outages act as warning signals, exposing the fragility of legacy infrastructure, and what that implies for resilience in an increasingly electrified world.

The conversation also examines the economic incentives, institutional inertia, and behavioural forces that resist technological change — and how innovative business models are beginning to unlock faster adoption.

This episode goes beyond viewing solar as a technology alone. It unpacks the economics and coordination required to build a resilient, low-cost energy system capable of supporting the AI-driven future.
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An episode delivered in partnership with SolarPower Europe. SolarPower Europe has established the ‘Battery Storage Europe Platform’ (advocacy, COMs campaigning, networking) around battery storage. Companies should join as members to help us push messages on solar, flexibility and batteries https://www.batterystorageeurope.org/

Laurent and Gerard speak with Dr. Michal Meidan, Head of China Energy Research at the China Energy Research Programme at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, about the profound transformation reshaping China’s energy system. At the heart of the discussion is the country’s pivot from “molecules” to “electrons” — a structural shift from fossil fuels toward electrification powered by renewables, batteries, and electric mobility. This transition is not just about decarbonization; it represents a broader industrial and technological reconfiguration with global consequences. At the same time, China remains central to fossil fuel markets: it is the world's largest fossil fuel importer and is set to maintain that position for the rest of this decade and beyond.  Still the recent events in the Strait of Hormuz have vindicated China’s energy policy of diversification, investment and strategic storage.  

China’s approach reflects a distinctive “dual track” model in which command-and-control planning coexists with market dynamics. Central government frameworks, including the recent 15th Five-Year Plan, set strategic direction, while provinces interpret and implement policy with varying degrees of alignment or competition. At times collaborative and at times antagonistic, the relationship between Beijing and local authorities shapes how targets are pursued and reported. China often reframes its narrative retrospectively, particularly where electric vehicles and battery production have dramatically surpassed official expectations, highlighting the interplay between state ambition and private-sector execution.  

At the same time, the transition has been propelled by powerful entrepreneurial forces. Leaders such as Robin Zheng of CATL and Stella Li of BYD embody the “animal spirits” that have driven innovation and scale in batteries and electric vehicles. In many cases, private firms have exceeded policy goals, complicating simplistic narratives of top-down control and demonstrating how state guidance and commercial dynamism reinforce one another.  

Energy security remains a central pillar of this strategy. The current Hormuz crisis as well as the power shortages of 2020–2022 have exposed vulnerabilities in China’s system and reinforced the leadership’s determination to build integrated domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on imported fuels and critical materials. Industrial policy and energy policy are deeply intertwined, with electrification, renewables, and advanced manufacturing serving both resilience and competitiveness objectives. The drive for clean technology is therefore as much about strategic autonomy as it is about environmental stewardship.  

Finally, the episode also addresses persistent misconceptions in Europe and the United States about China’s system, challenging both exaggerated fears and wishful thinking. Understanding China’s energy transition requires grappling with its internal tensions, strategic pragmatism, and the scale of its ambitions.  

Oxford Institute
 https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/disruption-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-implications-for-chinas-energy-markets-and-policies/  

Carbon Brief and Lauri Myllyvirta    
15FYP coverage https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-does-chinas-15th-five-year-plan-mean-for-climate-change/  
Latest on China emisisons https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-have-now-been-flat-or-falling-for-21-months/  
Impact on GDP https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-clean-energy-drove-more-than-a-third-of-chinas-gdp-growth-in-2025/

Gerard and Laurent host Ira Joseph, a leading expert on gas and LNG markets at the Columbia Center on Global Energy, to explore how the Middle East conflict is reshaping the industry.

In normal times, LNG supply is led by Qatar, the U.S., and Australia, with prices anchored to benchmarks like Henry Hub, TTF, and JKM. Before the war, markets were relatively well supplied, keeping prices stable.

Three weeks into the conflict, that balance has shifted. Brent crude has climbed to about $110, European gas (TTF) to around $20/MMBtu, while U.S. Henry Hub remains near $3—highlighting growing regional divergence driven by infrastructure and trade flows.

Two views have emerged: the White House sees a temporary disruption, while analysts like Jeff Currie and James Gutman argue this is a structural supply shock—captured by the idea that “you can’t print molecules.”

The impact is uneven. Europe is highly exposed, Asia faces rising competition for cargoes, and emerging markets risk being priced out. The U.S. remains relatively insulated but increasingly vital as a supplier. Massive damage to key Gulf infrastructure such as South Pars and Ras Laffan will disrupt flows for months if not years.

In response, short-term measures include stock releases, more coal production and demand cuts. Longer term the crisis may spur new LNG investment, accelerate energy security efforts, and boost the development of renewables while further fragmenting global markets.

The takeaway: this is not just another cycle, but a structural shift in the future of energy.

References
HC Group podcasts with Paul Chapman
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4FelokgY7oWXMxwyv75N0D?si=SgGNX7S_RZuFnry5Ckdi_Q
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bOCstN1chwOmB16u5SvRU?si=mu9PEjU9QQqvSHSmXlTafg

On LNG. Ira Joseph papers
https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/
https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/us-israeli-attacks-on-iran-and-global-energy-impacts/

Six years after her last appearance on the podcast (Episode 28, 15 June 2020), Natasha Luther-Jones  returns to join Laurent and Gerard for a lively catch-up on how both her career and the energy sector have evolved. What began with her being dubbed the “Queen of PPA” has expanded into a far broader role — prompting the hosts to crown her the “Energy Empress” as she now operates across the full spectrum of global energy and infrastructure.  

Natasha reflects on the evolution as the Global co-chair in the Energy & Natural Resources practice at DLA Piper, describing how client demand has shifted from single-asset transactions to complex, multi-technology, cross-border platforms. The market has matured significantly, with renewables now firmly established as mainstream infrastructure and capital becoming more disciplined and selective.  

A major growth area is battery energy storage systems (BESS), which have moved from being an adjunct to renewables to a core investment thesis in their own right. Storage, hybridisation and co-location strategies are reshaping project design, while revenue stacking and merchant exposure are demanding more sophisticated structuring and risk management.  

On the M&A front, Natasha highlights sustained deal activity and strong valuations for scaled platforms and development pipelines. The market is firmly in a consolidation phase, with investors prioritising portfolio and platform transactions over single-asset deals. Innovative financing models, including holdco structures and cross-collateralisation across diversified portfolios, are increasingly replacing traditional asset-by-asset project finance.  

The conversation also turns to the accelerating demand from AI-driven datacentres and the growing integration of digital infrastructure within energy complexes. As power demand surges, particularly for firm and clean energy, the convergence of energy and technology is creating new investment models and strategic partnerships — signalling that the next chapter of the energy transition will be defined as much by integration and capital structuring as by capacity build-out.

While Gerard is fixing his knee, Laurent invites Chris Seiple, Vice Chairman of WoodMac Power & Renewables group, to try to make sense of the scale of the coming power demand surge and the strain it is placing on today’s US market structures.

AI-driven datacenter growth is pushing the US power system into uncharted territory. Roughly 180 GW of U.S. electricity commitments tied to datacenters represent about 30% incremental demand. Hyperscaler CAPEX is exploding. Demand is accelerating far faster than new supply can come online, setting up a near-term imbalance. In response, the U.S. utility sector is preparing for a potential $1.4 trillion investment supercycle over the next five years.

In regulated markets, utilities are under pressure to modernize cost-of-service models and deliver massive capital programs while keeping electricity affordable. Companies such as Duke Energy, Southern Company, Entergy, and CenterPoint Energy are planning investments that run into the hundreds of billions.

In deregulated markets, players like Constellation Energy, Vistra Corp., and NRG Energy face a structural mismatch: datacenters can be built faster than power plants, while price signals may not rise quickly enough to incentivize new generation. Some customers are exploring off-grid solutions, but these bring technical and economic challenges.

The conclusion is clear: load growth is staggering. Parts of the system may move toward re-regulation, but that alone will not be enough. Rapid innovation—decentralized solutions, grid-enhancing technologies, faster interconnections, and deeper digitization—will be essential as utilities relearn how to build at scale and speed.  

Check an excellent WoodMac report on the Datacenters
https://www.woodmac.com/horizons/us-data-centre-power-demand-challenges-electricity-market-model/