Energy Unplugged by Aurora

Aurora Energy Research
  • 4.6 (5)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to ‘Energy Unplugged by Aurora’, a mix of in-depth conversations with key international industry leaders, policymakers, and academics, sharing their unique perspectives on the global energy transition. Hosted by various Aurora experts, we explore the hottest topics and trends across the energy landscape. From renewables, battery storage, and grid integration, to hydrogen, commodity markets, and technology innovation, our high-profile guests weigh in with their valuable insights. Stay informed and engaged with the latest developments in the energy industry, with a new episode released every week!

  1. 7h ago

    What Happens When Certainty Disappears? EP 308

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Anise Ganbold, Head of Research - Global Energy Markets & Hydrogen at Aurora Energy Research, is joined by Philip Norman, Partner and Head of International Arbitration at CMS.  Long-term energy contracts are designed to create certainty. They underpin billion-dollar investments, support critical infrastructure, and help keep energy flowing across borders.  But what happens when the world changes?  From pandemics and sanctions to wars, shipping disruptions and political intervention, recent years have tested assumptions many contracts were built upon. As markets become more volatile, questions around risk allocation, force majeure and contractual flexibility are becoming increasingly important.  Drawing on decades of experience in international energy disputes, Philip explains why contract terms often matter more than price, how legal systems approach disruption differently, and what happens when unforeseen events put agreements under pressure.  The world's energy systems depend on long-term contracts. The challenge is making sure they can survive in a world that no longer feels predictable.  Main topics include:  Who really carries the risk when energy markets are disrupted?  Why risk allocation can matter more than price  How force majeure works in practice  Whether the next generation of energy contracts will be more flexible

  2. 7h ago ·  Video

    What Happens When Certainty Disappears? EP 308 - Video Edition

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Anise Ganbold, Head of Research - Global Energy Markets & Hydrogen at Aurora Energy Research, is joined by Philip Norman, Partner and Head of International Arbitration at CMS.  Long-term energy contracts are designed to create certainty. They underpin billion-dollar investments, support critical infrastructure, and help keep energy flowing across borders.  But what happens when the world changes?  From pandemics and sanctions to wars, shipping disruptions and political intervention, recent years have tested assumptions many contracts were built upon. As markets become more volatile, questions around risk allocation, force majeure and contractual flexibility are becoming increasingly important.  Drawing on decades of experience in international energy disputes, Philip explains why contract terms often matter more than price, how legal systems approach disruption differently, and what happens when unforeseen events put agreements under pressure.  The world's energy systems depend on long-term contracts. The challenge is making sure they can survive in a world that no longer feels predictable.  Main topics include:  Who really carries the risk when energy markets are disrupted?  Why risk allocation can matter more than price  How force majeure works in practice  Whether the next generation of energy contracts will be more flexible

  3. Sep 22

    Brazil’s Next Energy Challenge EP. 307

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Ana Barillas, Managing Director for Iberia and Latin America at Aurora Energy Research, and Rodrigo Borges, Market Lead for Brazil, are joined by João Brito Martins, CEO of EDP Brazil.  Brazil's energy transition has been one of the world's great success stories. Renewable capacity has expanded rapidly, solar deployment has surged, and the country has established itself as one of the largest and most dynamic power markets globally.  But success has brought a new set of challenges.  As curtailment rises, grid constraints intensify and investment in new renewable capacity slows; the conversation is shifting from how to build renewables to how to integrate them. At the same time, market liberalization is gathering pace; battery storage is preparing its first major auction, and policymakers face growing pressure to deliver the right signals for the next wave of investment.  João reflects on how Brazil's power sector has evolved, why networks are becoming increasingly important, and what must change to unlock the country's next investment cycle.  Brazil has shown it can deliver the energy transition at scale. The next challenge is creating a power system that can keep up.  Main topics include:  Has Brazil become a victim of its own renewable success?  Why curtailment, grid constraints and weak price signals are holding back investment  Can market liberalization unlock a new era of customer-driven power procurement?  What needs to happen for batteries and flexibility to scale in Brazil?

  4. Sep 22 ·  Video

    Brazil’s Next Energy Challenge EP. 307 - Video Edition

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Ana Barillas, Managing Director for Iberia and Latin America at Aurora Energy Research, and Rodrigo Borges, Market Lead for Brazil, are joined by João Brito Martins, CEO of EDP Brazil.  Brazil's energy transition has been one of the world's great success stories. Renewable capacity has expanded rapidly, solar deployment has surged, and the country has established itself as one of the largest and most dynamic power markets globally.  But success has brought a new set of challenges.  As curtailment rises, grid constraints intensify and investment in new renewable capacity slows; the conversation is shifting from how to build renewables to how to integrate them. At the same time, market liberalization is gathering pace; battery storage is preparing its first major auction, and policymakers face growing pressure to deliver the right signals for the next wave of investment.  João reflects on how Brazil's power sector has evolved, why networks are becoming increasingly important, and what must change to unlock the country's next investment cycle.  Brazil has shown it can deliver the energy transition at scale. The next challenge is creating a power system that can keep up.  Main topics include:  Has Brazil become a victim of its own renewable success?  Why curtailment, grid constraints and weak price signals are holding back investment  Can market liberalization unlock a new era of customer-driven power procurement?  What needs to happen for batteries and flexibility to scale in Brazil?

  5. Sep 15

    Can Japan Build a Battery Market? EP. 306

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Hugo Batten, Managing Director of Aurora APAC, and Arthur Yanagisawa, Head of Advisory for Japan at Aurora Energy Research, are joined by Virginie Sandilya, Chief Investment Officer of Shizen International and Head of Project Finance for the Shizen Energy Group.  Japan knows it needs batteries. The question is whether the market can build them fast enough.  Investor appetite remains strong, but the industry's biggest challenges are no longer technological. Grid congestion, rising interest rates, revenue uncertainty and increasingly competitive access to transmission are creating new hurdles for developers trying to reach financial close.  Drawing on experience from both the lending and development sides of the industry, Virginie shares her perspective on what separates successful projects from the rest, why bankability remains a central challenge, and how developers are navigating a rapidly evolving market.  In many ways, Japan's battery market has reached an inflection point. Investor appetite is there. The technology is proven. The question is whether the market structure can keep up.  Main topics include:  Why securing a grid connection may matter more than securing financing  Can merchant battery projects attract debt at scale?  The battle between contracted certainty and merchant upside  Could data centres unlock the next phase of battery deployment?

  6. Sep 8

    What Happens When a Market Moves Fast? EP. 305

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Laura Picardo, Aurora Energy Research's Advisory Lead for Mexico, is joined by William Judd, Manager – Origination & Execution, LatAm at Cubico Sustainable Investments.  After years of limited renewable deployment, Mexico's energy transition is moving again.  New investment mechanisms, major regulatory reforms, and ambitious deployment targets are creating fresh momentum in one of Latin America's most important power markets. But this isn't simply a return to business as usual. Mexico is attempting to accelerate renewable deployment while integrating battery storage from the outset and building new partnerships between private developers and the state-owned utility, CFE.  Drawing on Cubico's decade-long experience in the country, William discusses the market's resurgence, the opportunities created by the new mixed-investment model, and the realities of delivering large-scale renewable and storage projects on compressed timelines.  The conversation also explores what Mexico can learn from markets like Chile and Uruguay, and whether the country can combine political ambition, private capital and strategic planning to deliver its next wave of clean energy growth.  Main topics include:  Why Mexico's renewable sector is entering a new phase of growth  The rise of long-term partnerships between CFE and private developers  How battery storage is being integrated into renewable projects from day one  The key opportunities and challenges facing Mexico's next energy boom

  7. Sep 8 ·  Video

    What Happens When a Market Moves Fast? EP. 305 - Video Edition

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Laura Picardo, Aurora Energy Research's Advisory Lead for Mexico, is joined by William Judd, Manager – Origination & Execution, LatAm at Cubico Sustainable Investments.  After years of limited renewable deployment, Mexico's energy transition is moving again.  New investment mechanisms, major regulatory reforms, and ambitious deployment targets are creating fresh momentum in one of Latin America's most important power markets. But this isn't simply a return to business as usual. Mexico is attempting to accelerate renewable deployment while integrating battery storage from the outset and building new partnerships between private developers and the state-owned utility, CFE.  Drawing on Cubico's decade-long experience in the country, William discusses the market's resurgence, the opportunities created by the new mixed-investment model, and the realities of delivering large-scale renewable and storage projects on compressed timelines.  The conversation also explores what Mexico can learn from markets like Chile and Uruguay, and whether the country can combine political ambition, private capital and strategic planning to deliver its next wave of clean energy growth.  Main topics include:  Why Mexico's renewable sector is entering a new phase of growth  The rise of long-term partnerships between CFE and private developers  How battery storage is being integrated into renewable projects from day one  The key opportunities and challenges facing Mexico's next energy boom

  8. Sep 1

    From Power Crisis to Power Market EP.304

    This week on Energy Unplugged, Caroline Still, Aurora Energy Research's Market Lead for South Africa, is joined by Jan Fourie, CEO of Mulilo.  Just a few years ago, South Africa's priority was clear: end load shedding. Today, the challenge looks very different.  As private investment accelerates and the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) begins to take shape, the industry is shifting its focus from simply adding megawatts to building a power system that can deliver reliable, affordable electricity over the long term.  Drawing on a front-row seat to South Africa's rapidly evolving power sector, Jan discusses why transmission has emerged as the industry's biggest bottleneck, how batteries are changing the economics of renewable energy, and why flexibility could become one of the most valuable commodities in the country's future electricity market.  The conversation also explores the role of patient capital, the evolution of power procurement, and whether South Africa has the opportunity to do something few countries have managed successfully: build a competitive electricity market while simultaneously transforming its generation fleet.  Main topics include:  South Africa's transition from energy crisis to market reform  Why transmission, storage and flexibility are becoming critical to the next phase of growth  The role of batteries, curtailment and market signals in a changing power system  How SAWEM could reshape investment, competition and electricity pricing in South Africa

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About

Welcome to ‘Energy Unplugged by Aurora’, a mix of in-depth conversations with key international industry leaders, policymakers, and academics, sharing their unique perspectives on the global energy transition. Hosted by various Aurora experts, we explore the hottest topics and trends across the energy landscape. From renewables, battery storage, and grid integration, to hydrogen, commodity markets, and technology innovation, our high-profile guests weigh in with their valuable insights. Stay informed and engaged with the latest developments in the energy industry, with a new episode released every week!

Information

  • Creator
    Aurora Energy Research
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    354
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Aurora Energy Research
  • Show Website
    Energy Unplugged by Aurora

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