Montel Weekly

Amid a backdrop of tumbling European wholesale gas prices, this week’s episode takes a look at the multiple bearish factors overwhelming the market. Find out what the “bearish” cherry is and listen to a discussion on where the price floor could be, and how and when prices could recover. For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit our daily extra at covid19.montelnews.com. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Wayne Bryan, Director, European Gas Research, Refinitiv. 

This week’s episode takes a look at the Baltic market and plans to decarbonise the region by rolling out small modular reactors. Listen to a discussion on how small-scale nuclear could be commercially viable at much lower cost than current projects in France, Finland and the UK. For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit our daily extra at covid19.montelnews.com.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Kalev Kallemets, CEO of Fermi Energia. 

Away from the drama and uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 virus outbreak, we take a close look at France’s nuclear fleet and discuss how production this year could fall to multi-year lows. For expert views and analysis of the impact of the coronavirus on energy market, please visit covid19.montelnews.com. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Chris Eales, Editor France, Montel. 

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) continue to grow across Europe as renewables subsidies get phased out and companies look to reduce their carbon footprint.Listen to a discussion on the outlook for PPAs, and how in the Nordics firms are increasingly using them as hedging instruments, often signing “baseload” deals. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Kathrine Bakke of Afry, Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel.

Gas is quickly becoming a global commodity, but the fuel has also become a pawn in a game of geopolitics between large gas producing countries. This week’s pod looks at the politics of gas as well as its fundamental drivers and competition, and the need to decarbonise the sector. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Karen Sund of Sund Energy. 

Ahead of the EC publication of its Climate Law next week, this week’s pod discusses the implications for Europe’s energy sector. Listen to a discussion on carbon border taxes, sector coupling,ETS reform and decarbonising gas. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Catherine Banet, Associate Professor in Energy Law,University of Oslo. 

The rapid growth of renewables over the coming years will increase the need for PPAs and related products. This week we discuss what the changes mean for an energy exchange – is the difference between peak and baseload still relevant? Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Peter Reitz, CEO European Energy Exchange. 

Europe is set to fully decarbonise its energy system by 2050, with a huge impact on the way electricity is produced and consumed. This week’s pod takes a peek into the brave new energy world,and discusses flexibility, aggregation and the future of trading. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Matthias Dilthey, General Manager DACH, Sonnen, Jan Aengenvoort, Head of Communications and Market Research, Next Kraftwerke, Richard Sarti, Director Marketing and Sales, Nodes. 

Global gas markets look set to remain historically weak with oversupply forecast to linger this year and into next. Europe in particular will get “messy”, according to Trevor Sikorski of Energy Aspects. Host:  Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Trevor Sikorski, Head of Natural Gas, Oil and Carbon Research, Energy Aspects. 

Oversupply in the global gas market could persist until 2025, and the saturation spells bad news for coal plants everywhere. This week’s pod discusses the current dynamics in the LNG market and why, despite low prices, producers and exporters of gas show no sign of holding back. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Kjell Eikland, Managing Director, Eikland Energy. 

In this week’s pod, energy expert Claudia Kemfert says Germany’s coal exit plans are a massive disappointment. Listen to a discussion on how the proposals will not end coal generation quickly enough and will come at a far too high cost, both for taxpayers and the climate. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Claudia Kemfert, Head of Department Energy, Transportation, Environment, DIW Berlin, Nora Kamprath Buli, Editor Germany, Montel. 

European carbon prices will strengthen as the 27-nation bloc tightens its climate ambitions over the next 18 months. However, prepare for market volatility in the short term amid Brexit, low gas prices and uncertainty over Germany’s coal exit. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Tom Lord, Head of Trading and Risk Management, Redshaw Advisors, Alessandro Vitelli, Carbon Reporter. 

Hydro levels in the Nordic region are at levels never seen before at this time of year, while southern parts of Europe have also been very wet. Listen to Mr Hydrology, aka Eylert Ellefsen, talk about the unusually high precipitation and the impact on wholesale power prices from Trondheim to Tarragona.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Eylert Ellefsen, senior analyst, EQ. 

Europe’s gas market looks set to remain oversupplied this year with prices likely to be close to record lows. In this week’s episode gas analyst Wayne Bryan questions where the demand will come from to absorb unrelenting flows of LNG and piped gas. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Wayne Bryan, gas analyst, Nathan Witkop, Germany correspondent, Montel. 

Germany will not sign off legislation to exit coal until early this year, but a strong grassroots environmental movement could force politicians to exit the dirty fuel many years before the proposed 2038 date. Listen to a summary of current German energy policy and the potential for a capacity squeeze in 2022. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guest: Tobias Federico, Managing Director, Energy Brainpool. 

In the last pod before Christmas, listen to the Montel team discussing the key issues of 2019, and the significant developments shaping Europe’s energy markets next year. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel, Nora Kamprath Buli, Editor Germany, Montel, Morten Hegna, Sales Director, Montel, Gert Ove Mollestad, Reporter, Montel. Produced by Anna Siwecka. Music by Laurence Walker.

Next year looks set to deliver record low gas prices amid a perfect bearish storm of an ongoing supply glut, mild weather, record high storage levels and a possible agreement in the Ukraine-Russia transit deal. Listen to four analysts provide their 2019 highlights, and forecasts for next year. Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Tor Reier Lilleholt, Head of Analysis, Wattsight, Marcus Ferdinand, Head of EU Power and Carbon Analytics, ICIS, Wayne Bryan, Senior Energy and Commodity Analyst, Alfa Energy, Trevor Sikorski, Head of Natural Gas, Oil and Carbon Research, Energy Aspects. 

What will happen in 2050 when Europe's power system will be close to 100% renewables? Listen to this week's pod as we turn the Green tea leaves towards a low-carbon world and discuss the potential for energy storage using hydrogen and … ammonia.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Gry Aamodt, Vice Preseident Global Drivers, Statkraft, Nora Kamprath Buli, Editor Germany, Montel. 

The dominance of coal in Poland’s energy mix will come to an end – the question is by when and what will replace the dirty fuel. This week’s pod discusses the options open to the country and which form of power generation will expand at the fastest rate.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Arek Zielezny, Managing Director, Laconia Investments, Marcin Czekanski, Poland Correspondent, Montel. 

Corporate demand for guarantees of origin (GOs) will remain strong next year as companies continue to boost their green credentials. However, supply from French auctions and from German facilities should continue to keep prices around 50 eurocents. Listen to expert views on what’s currently driving the GO market.Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief Europe, Montel. Guests: Alexandra Münzer, Managing Director, Greenfact, Olav Vilnes, Chief Editor Nordics, Montel.