Energy Unplugged by Aurora

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Margaret Cooney, Chief Operating Officer at Octopus Energy in New Zealand. She joins our Managing Director for APAC, Hugo Batten, and our Head of Australia, Weije Mak, to discuss New Zealand’s power market. Prior to Octopus Energy, Margaret was the Head of Powershop in New Zealand. She has also held roles at Meridian in New Zealand, and at OFWAT in the UK as their Head of Market Reform. Main topics include the following: * New Zealand’s predominantly green energy mix and the key drivers of investment * Evolving from Demand Side Response to Intelligent Demand in a nodal market with extended, linear grids like those in New Zealand. * What are the challenges and advantages of operating in smaller, more isolated markets?

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Jacob Stedman, CEO of Blykalla. He joins our Head of Nordics & Baltics, Alexander Esser, to discuss the role of nuclear energy and, more specifically, of small modular reactors (SMRs). Jacob is the CEO of Blykalla, a Swedish company specialising in the development and supply of lead-cooled SMRs. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader with over 20 years of experience, having founded and led multiple start-ups and scale-ups. Most recently, he served as co-founder and CEO of Platform24, a leading Nordic SaaS company. Earlier in his career, Jacob spent six years at McKinsey & Company, where he focused on electricity generation and climate change. Main topics include the following: * The role of nuclear power for a future power system * The nuclear renaissance and the ambitions by the Swedish government * Blykalla’s technology and advantages of SMR over conventional nuclear reactors

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Dawn Owens, Head of Project Development and Commercial Markets at Fervo Energy. She joins our Managing Director for North America, Oliver Kerr, and Emma McElrath, Advisory Associate in our Oakland office, to discuss geothermal power in the US. In addition to overseeing the development of the geothermal company Fervo Energy, Dawn also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University. She brings a wealth of experience in the power sector, having held roles at NRG Energy, GenOn Energy, and other organisations. Main topics include the following: * What is geothermal energy, and what are the differences between traditional and enhanced geothermal systems? * The role of geothermal energy in the US power system * Commercialisation of geothermal energy and barriers to a more widespread adoption

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Marion Calcine, Chief Investment Officer at Ardian Infrastructure and Member of the Ardian France Executive Board. She joins our Research Lead for France & Iberia, Christina Rentell, to discuss investment strategies. As CIO, Marion supervises investment processes for Ardian Infrastructure Funds in Europe and in the Americas. She has served, or currently serves, on the boards of 3New, 4New, 2i Rete Gas, Trados M45, and Mila. On top of this, Marion co-leads digital project OPTA, which aims at optimizing operational performance and minimizing merchant risk of a 2GW portfolio. Main topics include the following: * Investment strategies amidst market volatility * Development of the hydrogen landscape * Attractiveness of financing battery storage * Enhancing operational efficiency in asset management

This week on Energy Unplugged, we’re delighted to welcome Guillaume de Goÿs, CEO of Aluminium Dunkerque. He joins our Head of France, Pierre Dennery, and Julia Breuing, Research Associate in our Berlin office to discuss the challenges energy consumers are facing from tariffs, electricity, and carbon prices. Guillaume began his career in the tire industry at Michelin before transitioning to the aluminium sector, working first in Cameroon and later in France. He is now CEO of Aluminium Dunkerque, the largest aluminium smelter in Europe and a global leader in low-carbon aluminium production. He also serves as President of Aluminium France and sits on the board of UNIDEN. Main topics include the following: * Challenges faced by energy-intensive industries in Europe and whether the European Clean Industrial Deal addresses them * Indirect emission compensation in Europe and its interactions with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) * The potential role of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and flexibility