The smarter E Podcast

The smarter E
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The smarter E Podcast - for and with the creators of the new energy world. Our podcast is all about the current trends and developments in a renewable, decentralized and digital energy industry. Our host Jonathan Gifford welcome and interview personalities who shape our industry and drive developments forward. Every week on Thursday with a new episode!

  1. Digitalizing the grid to meet today’s energy crisis – with Simon Evans and Akshat Rathi

    19 MAR

    Digitalizing the grid to meet today’s energy crisis – with Simon Evans and Akshat Rathi

    As geopolitical tensions once again send shockwaves through global energy markets, the pressure to accelerate the energy transition has rarely been greater. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast, we explore how digital technologies and electrification are reshaping the energy system—and why smarter, more connected grids are becoming essential in navigating today’s crisis. Our first guest, Simon Evans, Global Digital Energy and Digital Twin Leader at Arup, explains what digitalization really means for electricity networks. As renewables, rooftop solar, EVs, and distributed assets multiply across the grid, traditional operating models are becoming increasingly complex. Digital technologies, including improved data sharing to digital twins and machine learning, can help system operators manage this growing complexity. But as Evans argues, the biggest hurdles are not technical. Regulatory frameworks, trust between stakeholders, and new approaches to secure data exchange will ultimately determine how quickly digitalization can scale. We also explore how smarter networks could unlock flexibility across the system like coordinating EV charging and distributed storage and reducing renewable curtailment. In some cases, digital tools could even help direct excess renewable generation toward households facing energy affordability challenges. In the second half of the episode, Bloomberg climate reporter Akshat Rathi joins the podcast to unpack the geopolitical context behind today’s volatile energy markets. As disruptions to oil and gas supply chains push prices higher, governments are once again confronting energy security concerns. But unlike past crises, there is now a third option: accelerating electrification and renewable energy deployment. From digital grids to geopolitics, this episode looks at how today’s energy shocks could reshape the power system and why smarter infrastructure may be key to building a more resilient, electrified energy future. ✉️ Have comments or questions? Get in touch at podcast@thesmartere.com

    57 min
  2. Are today’s solar modules built to last? – with Chiara Baretta and Steven Xuereb

    5 MAR

    Are today’s solar modules built to last? – with Chiara Baretta and Steven Xuereb

    Recorded live in Barcelona at the Solar Quality Summit in February, this episode of The smarter E Podcast examines a critical question for the PV industry: are today’s solar modules built for long-term durability? As manufacturers push for higher efficiencies, larger formats, and lower costs, quality data is flashing warning signs. Drawing on insights from Kiwa PI Berlin’s latest Module Manufacturing Report, we explore a record 3.36% defect rate observed during pre-shipment inspections in 2025, and what’s driving it. Rear-side breakage in large-format, glass-glass modules is emerging as a major concern, with thinner 2 mm strengthened glass proving more fragile under real-world stress. At the same time, thinner frames, rapid factory ramp-ups, and geopolitical supply chain shifts are adding new layers of risk. The episode also dives into degradation challenges linked to TOPCon technology, including UV-induced degradation – and module meta-stability, which is proving challenging for accurate characterization. In the second part of the episode, we turn to polymers – present in the encapsulants, backsheets, and adhesives that quietly influence whether modules last 30 years or fail early. New materials like POE and TPO are improving performance in some areas, but increasing complexity across the bill of materials. Meanwhile, emerging tools such as near-infrared field analysis and AI-supported inspection may help be a helpful root-cause analysis tool and enabler of predictive maintenance. If solar is scaling at unprecedented speed, quality assurance must keep up. Covering a wide range of the important quality topics at hand, our live conversation Barcelona puts the spotlight on what it will take to ensure today’s modules truly stand the test of time. ✉️ Have comments or questions? Get in touch at podcast@thesmartere.com

    47 min
  3. Battery capacity is going through the roof – with Carolina Cruz and Pete Tillotson

    19 FEB

    Battery capacity is going through the roof – with Carolina Cruz and Pete Tillotson

    Battery capacity is getting bigger, storage duration longer, and batteries more central to how power systems operate. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast, we look at what’s driving the surge in battery capacity and why expectations for storage are shifting so quickly. Projects that would have seemed unrealistic just a few years ago are now moving into planning and achieving financial close. Lithium-ion batteries are expanding well beyond traditional short-duration applications, as falling costs and ongoing technical progress make longer discharge durations commercially viable. At the same time, rising renewable penetration is exposing a new challenge: extended periods when the power output from wind and solar output is low, for extended periods, and at the same time (the dreaded Dunkelflaute). These events are forcing system operators, utilities, and policymakers to rethink how much storage is needed – and for how long. The episode also explores the structural side of the transition: how market design, revenue certainty, and permitting timelines could ultimately decide how fast large-scale storage rolls out, and which technologies win the arms race. If the last decade was about proving that storage can, in fact, work – the next may be about proving that it can actually play a central role in helping manage power systems. ✉️ Have comments or questions? Get in touch at podcast@thesmartere.com

    45 min
  4. Has Vehicle-to-Grid Reached the Tipping Point? – with Adriana Fricke and Robin Berg

    5 FEB

    Has Vehicle-to-Grid Reached the Tipping Point? – with Adriana Fricke and Robin Berg

    In this episode of The smarter E podcast, we unpack how bidirectional EV charging is reshaping Europe’s energy and mobility landscape, from market signals to real-world deployment at scale. We begin with a policy perspective, speaking with Adriana Fricke from Hubject – a company that is working at the intersection of e-mobility, regulation, and energy systems. As Europe pushes toward electrification, regulatory standardization and cross-industry alignment are emerging as critical enablers of bidirectional charging. And with hundreds of billions already invested into the EV ecosystem, the sector is moving beyond theory to now positioning EVs as the mobile energy assets that will support grid stability, cut system costs, and strengthen energy resilience across Europe. In the second part of the episode, we speak to Robin Berg, the Founder and CEO of We Drive Solar, about the shift from concept to practice by exploring how V2G is being deployed on the ground. We look at the rapid scale-up of bidirectional EV fleets in the Netherlands and what they reveal about the future of distributed storage. Fleet vehicles – stationary for most of their lifetime – are proving uniquely suited to providing grid flexibility, helping manage winter demand peaks and absorb excess solar during high generation periods. As projects scale from pilots to hundreds of vehicles, they are offering a glimpse of how V2G could become a core part of future power systems. These conversations show how V2G is transitioning from experimentation to commercial rollout – and why standards and policy clarity will be crucial to shaping how fast it scales. 🎧 Follow The smarter E podcast for expert insight into solar, storage, e-mobility, and the global energy transition – and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show! ✉️ Have comments or questions? Get in touch at podcast@thesmartere.com

    38 min
  5. Inside 2026’s PV pricing reset – with Alex Barrows, Molly Morgan and Sonia Dulop

    22 JAN

    Inside 2026’s PV pricing reset – with Alex Barrows, Molly Morgan and Sonia Dulop

    After a prolonged period of rock-bottom prices and manufacturing oversupply, solar PV pricing is starting to shift – and the implications could ripple across the global industry in 2026. In this episode of The smarter E podcast, host Jonathan Gifford digs into what’s changing beneath the surface of the PV supply chain, and why pricing dynamics are becoming impossible to ignore. In the first part of the episode, Jonathan is joined by Alex Barrows, Head of PV at CRU, and Molly Morgan, Senior Analyst, for a deep dive into the forces reshaping module costs. From surging silver prices to China’s VAT rebate changes, they unpack how upstream pressures are feeding through to cells, modules, and manufacturer margins – and what this means for technology choices in the years ahead. The conversation also explores the evolving competitive landscape between TOPCon, heterojunction, and back-contact cell architectures, and asks whether pricing discipline can realistically return to a sector still wrestling with structural overcapacity. In the second segment, recorded in London, Jonathan speaks with Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, to zoom out to the global deployment picture. They discuss the rapid rise of residential solar-plus-storage, the political power of distributed energy, and the market and grid reforms needed to unlock the next phase of solar and battery growth worldwide. Follow The smarter E podcast for expert insight into solar, storage, and the global energy transition — and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show.

    58 min
  6. Big BESS is here to save the day – with Anna Darmani

    8 JAN

    Big BESS is here to save the day – with Anna Darmani

    Big batteries are taking off in Europe and are set to become a major contributor to the energy transition worldwide. In Europe, deployment has now reached a critical inflection point. Annual utility-scale BESS installations doubled between 2024 and 2025, while cumulative capacity surpassed 100 GW for the first time over the same period. These insights come from new analysis by Wood Mackenzie, led by EMEA principal analyst for energy storage Anna Darmani. Anna joined The Smarter E podcast to reflect on recent developments – and what’s next for utility-scale BESS deployment heading into 2026. Join host Jonathan Gifford for an overview of the key utility-scale battery trends and their impact on Europe’s energy markets. Follow The smarter E Podcast for more global insights into the clean energy transition, and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show!

    45 min
  7. Staying home, with smart energy management – with Irene Guerra Gil and Mark Bruno

    11/12/2025

    Staying home, with smart energy management – with Irene Guerra Gil and Mark Bruno

    Home may be where the heart is – but it’s also becoming a major player in the energy transition. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast, we explore how smart home energy management systems (HEMS) help households get the most out of distributed energy assets such as rooftop solar, home batteries, EV chargers, and heat pumps – making for lower energy bills, deeper decarbonization, and meaningful support for the wider energy system. Our first guest on this week'a pod, Irene Guerra Gil, Energy Market Expert at gridX, joins host Jonathan Gifford to break down the latest HEMS legislation in Europe and explain the real-world impact these technologies can have. We also turn to the commercial sector, where office buildings represent a huge opportunity for savings. Mark Bruno, CUBE Competition Chief Ambassador and Partner at Ampersand Partners, shares how behavioural change – and a bit of friendly competition – can drive major energy reductions and bring teams together. If you’d like to learn more about the CUBE Competition, you can reach out to Mark directly at markbruno@gmail.com. Follow The smarter E Podcast for more global insights into the clean energy transition, and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show!

    46 min
  8. What’s next in PV cell and module tech – with Renate Egan

    27/11/2025

    What’s next in PV cell and module tech – with Renate Egan

    UNSW has played an outsized role in the development of crystalline-silicon solar technology and the modern solar industry. Through its leadership of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), it continues to help shape the future of solar innovation. ACAP brings together leading Australian solar research programs, works across the entire solar value chain, and collaborates closely with major global manufacturers – including industry giants in China. In this episode, UNSW researcher and ACAP Executive Director Professor Renate Egan joins host Jonathan Gifford to share the latest developments in solar research and discuss how technology will continue driving the PV industry in 2026. Follow The smarter E podcast for more global insights into the clean energy transition – and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show!

    28 min
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About

The smarter E Podcast - for and with the creators of the new energy world. Our podcast is all about the current trends and developments in a renewable, decentralized and digital energy industry. Our host Jonathan Gifford welcome and interview personalities who shape our industry and drive developments forward. Every week on Thursday with a new episode!

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  • Creator
    The smarter E
  • Years Active
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  • Episodes
    251
  • Rating
    Clean
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    © The smarter E
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