The ReVolting Podcast

Úna Brosnan and John MacAskill
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  • TECH NEWS

The ReVolting Podcast is a series about what it really takes to challenge convention and drive transformation across the energy sector. Hosted by Úna Brosnan and John MacAskill, each episode dives into the ideas, tensions, and turning points shaping real change - from boardrooms to offshore platforms and everywhere in between. With candid conversations and honest reflections from industry voices, ReVolting explores why innovation so often meets resistance, and how progress demands more than new technology - it calls for courage, collaboration, and a willingness to get a little uncomfortable.

Episodes

  1. MAR 10

    Africa’s Energy Transition: Leapfrogging the Fossil Fuel Ladder

    In this episode of The ReVolting Podcast, Úna Brosnan and John MaCaskill are joined by Dr Rebekah Shirley, Deputy Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute, for a wide-ranging conversation on how energy transitions are unfolding across the African continent. Together they explore whether Africa is quietly rewriting the rules of the energy transition. From bottom-up transport electrification to the rapid emergence of electric cooking solutions, the discussion challenges the long-held assumption that countries must climb a traditional “fossil fuel ladder” before reaching clean energy. Rebekah shares insights from her work across African energy systems, explaining why electrification is often happening first in fleets, buses, and two-wheelers rather than private cars, and how distributed energy solutions are reshaping access and affordability. The conversation also tackles the harder political economy questions surrounding oil and gas producing countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, and Mozambique, examining how energy transition pathways differ when national revenues are tied to hydrocarbons. A thought-provoking episode on leapfrogging, grid economics, and why energy transitions may look far less linear than traditional models suggest. Links Rebekah Shirley website: https://rgshirley.comWRI profile: https://www.wri.org/profile/rebekah-shirleyTED Talk - Rebekah Shirley: The clean energy hub of the future: https://www.ted.com/talks/rebekah_shirley_the_clean_energy_hub_of_the_futureSkindred band: https://youtu.be/DSFnygzsLnk?is=8QIxfKxkjfchGZZz Reading List Integrated energy in action: Practical learnings from integrating centralized and decentralized energy delivery models in Uganda - ScienceDirect - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225025374#abs0020 Managing grid impacts from increased electric vehicle adoption in African cities | Scientific Reports - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-75039-3Leapfrogging the darkness: contextualising the meaning of energy transitions for African countries - IOPscience - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2516-1083/ad31b7/metaThe evolving just transition: definitions, context, and practical insights for Africa - IOPscience - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2634-4505/ac9a69Charging Ahead: Managing Grid Impacts from Widespread EV Adoption in African Cities - Energy for Growth Hub - https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQfCMqcqCsQbHvMLnMRlkBJCtDwElectric transport offers Kenya a way out of its fuel crises - Business Daily - https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/opinion-analysis/columnists/electric-transport-offers-kenya-a-way-out-of-its-fuel-crises-3786420#google_vignetteThree Recommendations for Meaningful Africa-Europe Partnership on Energy Transitions - Energy for Growth Hub - https://energyforgrowth.org/article/three-recommendations-for-meaningful-africa-europe-partnership-on-energy-transitions/

    56 min

  2. FEB 16

    Live On-Site: Scottish Renewables Offshore Wind Conference

    Recorded in Glasgow during the Scottish Renewables Offshore Wind Conference, Úna Brosnan and John McCaskill reflect on two days of industry conversation, announcements, and shifting sentiment at a pivotal moment for offshore wind. They discuss the outcome of AR7, renewed confidence across the supply chain, and the policy and investment signals shaping the UK’s renewable energy trajectory. The conversation explores communication, investor certainty, Contracts for Difference evolution, and the importance of continuity as the sector looks toward AR8 and beyond. Widening the lens, they consider emerging market momentum, US political uncertainty, and Europe’s growing focus on energy security - highlighting how geopolitics is increasingly intertwined with the energy transition. A grounded, realistic reflection on progress, pressure, and cautious optimism at the start of 2026.

    18 min

  3. JAN 14

    The ReVolting Bolt: AR7 Results, Floating Momentum, and What Comes Next

    A rapid-response Bolt episode reacting to the AR7 results. John and Úna break down what the outcomes mean for floating wind, fixed-bottom projects, the supply chain, and UK PLC - focusing on delivery, realism, and what comes next.

    20 min

  4. JAN 7

    Looking Ahead: Renewables, Resolutions, and Lessons from Latin America

    In this episode of The Revolting Podcast, Úna and John ease into the new year with an honest, wide-ranging conversation that moves from personal reflections to global energy dynamics. They begin with New Year’s resolutions and reflections on 2025, before revisiting earlier discussions on the fossil fuel ladder and technology leapfrogging - challenging long-held Western assumptions about how economies develop and decarbonise. The conversation then deepens into Latin America, exploring how history, culture, and politics shape today’s renewable energy landscape across countries such as Chile, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay. Drawing on lived experience, the episode examines COP30, global policy tensions, media narratives, and the practical realities of building renewable markets in emerging economies. Throughout, the focus remains on people, perspective, and the importance of understanding context rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions. A reflective start to the year, grounded in realism, curiosity, and long-term thinking about the energy transition.

    55 min

  5. 12/17/2025

    Breaking the Ladder: Energy Transitions, Leapfrogging, and the Global South

    In Episode Two of The Revolting Podcast, hosts Úna Brosnan and John MacAskill turn their attention to one of the most persistent assumptions in global energy thinking: the fossil fuel ladder. They explore where this idea came from, how it continues to shape oil and gas demand forecasts, and why it may no longer reflect reality. Focusing on transport and electrification in Africa, the discussion examines technology leapfrogging, EV adoption, and the tension between policy ambition and delivery. Alongside reflections on floating offshore wind, industry confidence, and recent market signals, Úna and John challenge the notion that all countries must follow the same energy pathway - and ask what it means when the ladder starts to break.

    45 min
  6. Switching On: Why We Started This

    10/29/2025

    Switching On: Why We Started This

    In the debut episode of The Revolting Podcast, hosts Úna Brosnan and John MacAskill kick things off with an honest look at what it really means to challenge convention in the energy sector. From boardrooms to offshore platforms, they explore why innovation so often meets resistance - and how the push for progress demands more than new technology. It takes courage, collaboration, and a willingness to get a little uncomfortable. Úna and John share personal reflections from their own journeys through the energy transition, unpacking the moments that shaped their thinking and the lessons learned from leading through change. It’s a candid, energising start to a series about questioning norms, embracing disruption, and finding the spark that drives transformation.

    40 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

The ReVolting Podcast is a series about what it really takes to challenge convention and drive transformation across the energy sector. Hosted by Úna Brosnan and John MacAskill, each episode dives into the ideas, tensions, and turning points shaping real change - from boardrooms to offshore platforms and everywhere in between. With candid conversations and honest reflections from industry voices, ReVolting explores why innovation so often meets resistance, and how progress demands more than new technology - it calls for courage, collaboration, and a willingness to get a little uncomfortable.

Information

  • Creator
    Úna Brosnan and John MacAskill
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The ReVolting Podcast
  • Show Website
    The ReVolting Podcast

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