The smarter E Podcast

The future of energy was on display in Munich last week — and this isn’t hyperbole! While some still question how an industrialised nation like Germany can be powered by renewable energy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, The smarter E Europe 2026 offered some compelling insights. Through a major new study, an interactive exhibition, and the countless innovations showcased across the event, a pathway to a fully renewable energy system was laid out in remarkable detail.

In this special on-site edition of the podcast, we capture the energy of the event itself, explore the technologies on display, and discuss some of the industry's most important developments. One theme stood out was the emergence of truly 24/7 renewable energy systems.

Author, engineer, and consultant Tim Meyer joins the podcast to guide us through the special 24/7 Renewables exhibition at this year's event. He explains why electric mobility and vehicle-to-grid technology is a game changer for a solar-and-wind lead energy system. Meyer also argues that the transition to clean energy presents major opportunities for industry, particularly through access to low-cost electricity during periods of abundant wind and solar generation.

The smarter E founder and CEO Markus Elsässer also joins the podcast at both the opening and closing of this year's event. He reflects on the number of visitors this year, the key conversations taking place across the show floor, and the challenges currently facing the renewable energy sector.

Other guests in this special edition of the podcast include:

Charlotte Senkpiel, Fraunhofer ISE

Sitaram Chodimella, SIEMENS

Stefan Feilmeier, FENECON

Sören Vahland, GE Vernova

✉️ Questions or feedback? Write us at podcast@thesmartere.com

Recorded at the Tandem PV Workshop in Berlin, this week’s episode explores one of the most exciting frontiers in solar technology: perovskite-based tandem photovoltaics. Featuring two leading researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB), the conversations dive into why perovskites could unlock the next major step forward in solar efficiency – and what still needs to happen before the technology reaches mass commercialization.

In the first interview, we’re joined by Professor Rutger Schlatmann, Head of the Solar Energy Division at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, to unpack why silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells are attracting so much attention from researchers and industry. Rutger explains how conventional silicon technology is approaching its physical efficiency limits, and why adding a perovskite layer on top of silicon offers a pathway to significantly higher performance.

In the second half of the episode, we speak with Angelika Harter, Group Lead Industrial-like Silicon Perovskite Tandem Baseline at HZB, about the transition from record-breaking laboratory results toward commercially viable solar products. Angelika shares insights from the Tandem PV Workshop, where the industry’s focus is shifting from simply achieving higher efficiencies toward improving stability, scalability, and reproducibility.

We also explore new opportunities for perovskite technologies beyond conventional solar modules – including flexible PV, indoor applications, and space technologies – and why the next five years could prove critical for bringing the first generation of commercial perovskite products to market.

✉️ Questions or feedback? Write us at podcast@thesmartere.com

Recorded at two recent industry events – the SolarPower Summit in Brussels and the Battery Business & Development Forum in Frankfurt – this week’s episode explores why batteries have become one of the most dynamic areas of the global energy transition. Featuring two industry heavy hitters, the conversations cover how BESS is transforming everything from electric mobility and charging infrastructure to renewable energy markets and grid management.

In the first interview, we’re joined by Laurent Segalen, clean energy investor and host of the Redefining Energy podcast, to unpack why electrification is entering a new phase of growth. Laurent explains how falling battery costs, improving EV technology, and changing energy economics are accelerating the shift from fossil fuels to electricity – particularly across transport sectors such as cars, vans, and heavy-duty trucks.

The discussion explores why electric trucks are becoming increasingly compelling from a business perspective, with lower operating and maintenance costs driving adoption. Laurent also explains why stationary batteries will play a critical role in supporting high-power charging infrastructure, creating buffers across the electricity system, and enabling the continued expansion of renewable energy.

In the second half of the episode, we speak with Stefan Mueller, COO and co-founder of ENERPARC, about the booming utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) market in Germany and Europe. Stefan shares insights into the wide range of emerging opportunities – from grid-scale batteries and solar-plus-storage projects to behind-the-meter applications supporting industry, EV charging, and energy-cost optimization.

The conversation covers the changing economics of battery projects, including merchant trading, peak shaving, balancing markets, and how energy storage can help companies access more reliable renewable power. Stefan also explains what investors and banks need to see for BESS projects to become financeable, and why predictable regulation and grid connection frameworks remain essential.

We also discuss the role of AI and digital platforms in managing increasingly complex energy assets, the future of hydrogen versus electrification in transport, and why batteries may ultimately help us use existing electricity infrastructure far more efficiently.

✉️ Questions or feedback? Write us at podcast@thesmartere.com

Recorded at the historic Berlin campus of technology and engineering giant Siemens, this week’s episode explores why Europe’s logistics industry is rapidly accelerating towards electrification – driven not only by decarbonization goals, but increasingly by energy security, operational resilience, and cost control.

We’re joined by Marcel Rümenapf, Head of Sales for eMobility Europe at Siemens, to unpack how rising fossil fuel prices, dynamic electricity markets, and improving EV technology are transforming fleet economics for businesses across Europe. The conversation explores why logistics operators are now viewing electrification as a strategic advantage, particularly as electricity offers opportunities for smart charging, on-site solar integration, and far greater control over energy costs when compared with fossil fuels like diesel.

A major focus of the discussion is how the complexity of large-scale fleet charging can be overcome. Marcel explains the ways in which smart charging software is becoming essential for managing depots with hundreds of electric buses or trucks that are balancing grid constraints, fast-changing wholesale electricity price dynamics, charging schedules, and operational requirements in real time.

The episode also explores the increasingly important role of stationary battery storage at logistics hubs, both for supporting charging infrastructure and in auxiliary applications such as the participation in electricity balancing markets.

We also discuss the future of electric trucks versus hydrogen, why fleet operators are beginning with phased pilot projects before scaling, and how electrification could even help logistics companies attract drivers by improving the driving experience itself.

✉️ Questions or feedback? Write us at podcast@thesmartere.com

Recorded on-site at the SolarPower Summit in Brussels, this week’s episode captures the market developments and innovative young companies shaping Europe’s clean energy transition.

We kick things off with renowned BloombergNEF solar analyst Jenny Chase, who joins us to unpack why batteries have become the defining technology conversation across Europe’s solar sector. As PV penetration rates continue to increase and negative pricing events become more common, Jenny explains why in this next phase of development, the industry’s challenge is managing flexibility, storage, and increasingly volatile power markets.

The conversation touches on anticipated developments like changing energy-trading models, EV smart charging, and long-duration storage, while also exploring how software and intelligent asset management are becoming as important as the hardware itself. And Jenny flags battery revenue cannibalization as a trend to keep an eye out for.

The second half of the episode features interviews with the four finalists of the European Solar Startup Award, recorded directly after the competition finals at the summit:

We speak with Sweden’s Qurrent about hybrid solar and battery optimization platforms designed to unlock new revenue streams for renewable assets.

Finland’s Polar Night Energy explains how high-temperature sand batteries could provide low-cost industrial heat and long-duration storage using excess renewable electricity.

Gridio discusses the growing importance of seamless EV smart charging and integrating electric vehicles with home solar systems.

And finally, we hear from reLi Energy – the winner of the competition – on one of the battery sector’s most urgent emerging challenges: degradation management and how smarter operation of battery assets could dramatically improve long-term revenues and asset lifetimes.

From the summit location in Brussels, this episode of The smarter E podcast provides a snapshot of where the European energy transition is heading next.

Thank you to SolarPower Europe for the event invitation.

✉️ Questions or feedback? Write us at podcast@thesmartere.com