Energy Voice – Out Loud

EVOL: All Energy 2025

All-Energy returned to Glasgow and the Energy Voice Out Loud Team were out in force, chatting to folks on the show floor, listening to panels and keeping you up to date with all the latest announcements. 
In this episode of EVOL, news editor Erikka Askeland, renewables reporter Michael Behr, Aberdeen features lead Ryan Duff chat with a handfull of the most interesting people in attendance at Glasgow's SEC. 
First up, Ryan speaks with Statera Energy's policy manager Phoebe Finn about the importance of large-scale renewables projects in the north-east of Scotland as employment uncertainty continues to hit the region. Also, Finn points to policy drivers that could be hindering the UK hydrogen sector's progress and what can be done to fix it.
Michael spoke with the Changineer, consultant Danielle Dale, about the carbon footprints of everyday objects. Which has the higher emissions - a Zoom call, 1kg of asparagus, a bank account or a cup of tea? Michael finds out.
And Erikka speaks with Emma Behjat, chairwoman of the AXIS network to recap their All Energy session entitled Make DEI Great Again and why energy companies can benefit by sticking to the plan to develop talent.
Energy Voice's team of reporters managed to record a few more conversations while at All-Energy so stay tuned in the coming weeks for more insight from the UK's largest renewable energies conference.

Energy Voice Out Loud: Live from All-Energy 2025

Join Energy Voice Out Loud as we broadcast from the show floor of All-Energy 2025, the UK’s largest renewable and low-carbon energy event. In this special episode, our reporters sit down with the five All-Energy Ambassadors to explore the key themes and insights shaping the future of energy.
Hear from:
Dr. Kerry-Ann Adamson, VP & Global Hydrogen Lead at Capgemini
Clare Foster, Partner & Head of Clean Energy at Shepherd and Wedderburn
Iain Sinclair, Executive Director at Global Energy
Lesley McNeil, Head of External & Corporate Affairs at Muirhall Energy
Christianna Logan, Director of Customers & Stakeholders at SSEN Transmission
Each ambassador shares their unique perspective on their area of expertise, highlights from the sessions they’re involved in, and the vital role All-Energy plays in driving innovation, collaboration, and progress across the sector.

EVOL X ABB: How behind-the-meter battery storage is transforming industrial energy

On this episode of Energy Voice Out Loud in partnership with ABB, reporter Mathew Perry speaks with Matt Wise, the head of strategy and business development at ABB’s Electrification Service division.  
Together they explore how behind-the-meter energy storage is transforming industrial electricity consumers into active market players across the UK and Europe.  
As energy markets grow more volatile, businesses are looking for smarter, more flexible ways to manage supply, reduce costs, and even generate revenue - without the need for a large upfront capital investment. 
 

EVOL X Aize: A transition from energy to technology

Being able to visualise what is out at sea from the beach is a game changer for the offshore industry. But what if you started working for an energy company and ended up working for a tech start up without having to leave the business you started working for? Sarah Shearer, head of Aberdeen and people operations manager at Aize, shares her story of working at the forefront of digital twin technology and where the energy industry can go from here.

EVOL: Bad news comes in threes

This week, there has been a whole lot of doom and gloom in the UK energy market. Harbour Energy announced 250 job cuts in Aberdeen, Ørsted discontinued its Hornsea 4 offshore wind project, and Drax opted not to bid for its Cruachan II in the Cap and Floor mechanism.
Up first, news reporter Mat Perry discusses the UK's largest oil and gas operator slashing 25% of its UK onshore headcount as it downgrades spending in the country. Aberdeen Features Lead Ryan Duff gives his two cents on the state of job losses in the north-east of Scotland and the wider North Sea, brace yourself for explicit language. 
Next up, Mat and renewables reporter Michael Behr discuss why Ørsted has pulled the hand brake on a major offshore wind project. Pumped storage hydro was also mentioned, as Cruachan II gives the cap and floor scheme a swerve after battery firms argued that the mechanism was biased towards such projects. 
And finally, Michael chats with Guy Newey, chief executive officer at the Energy Systems Catapult about the ever-divisive zonal pricing debate and how it could help drive innovation in the energy sector.

EVOL: Scotland's 'wrath', BP and Equinor Q1s, and Octopus defends zonal pricing

This week Scotland's only oil refinery ceased production, prompting outrage from unions that forecast the "wrath" of voters in next year's Holyrood election, European supermajors BP and Equinor unveiled their Q1 results and Octopus Energy's CEO defended his zonal pricing views. 
Up first, Aberdeen features lead Ryan Duff discusses the closure of Grangemouth's oil refinery and its political ramifications, while news reporter Mathew Perry asks about the implications for the Acorn CCS project which is yet to see certainty. With the Scotland carbon capture project caught in limbo questions are asked of the future of Scottish industry. 
Renewables reporter Michael Behr has been the man on the markets this week as he kept an eye on Equinor and BP's books. The Energy Voice Out Loud presenting trio play a game of Good News, Bad News and they debate whether the first quarter reports were positive or as one analyst said, "disappointing".
Finally, Energy Voice has been at the Innovation zero conference in the capital as London correspondent Jessica Davies chats with Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson as he defended his views on zonal pricing. He has been a supporter of the structure that will see Scotland's energy prices plummet, however, others have said that the move would impact the economic viability of wind projects in the country. 

EVOL: HyNet approval, decarbonisation, and GB Energy's £300m

This week, Energy Voice’s intrepid reporters Mat and Mike explored the recent announcement that the government is set to approve Eni’s HyNet carbon capture and storage project. The deal comes with financial support for the Track 1 project, and adds momentum to the UK’s CCS journey.
We also catch up with news editor Erikka, who was at the North Sea Decarbonisation conference this week, finding out all about how the UK needs to reshape its industries, create new partnerships and generate sustainable jobs to secure a greener future. 
And back in the studio, Mike and Mat chat about the £300m coming from GB Energy to invest in the UK’s offshore wind supply chains. But is this a strong enough signal for the sector, which has seen mixed signals coming from the government?

EVOL: Courting wood, grid zombies and Easter wake loss

This week Wood provided updates on Sidara's proposed £250 million takeover, NESO declared war on zombies in the grid queue, and Equinor and Orsted warned of the impacts of wake loss.
Aberdeen-headquartered Wood received a non-binding takeover bid from Dubai-based rival Sidara worth £250m, a significant drop-off compared to last year's £1.5 billion bid. Our reporters discuss this, Wood's shares being suspended and them impacts of yet another Scottish company being bought over by international competitors. 
Next up, the UK's National Energy System Operator (NESO) unveiled plans to get rid of 'zombies' from the grid queue in a collaboration with regulator Ofgem. This could see up to 360GW of projects on the current queue have their contracts downgraded because they are not ready. What does this mean and is it a result of too much dithering from the UK?
Finally, European energy giants Equinor and Orsted have said offshore wind revenues could take a £363m hit due to other projects getting in the way of their turbines. Although those in the Tour de France peloton don't mind the frontrunner taking the brunt of the wind resistance, turbine operators do. Does industry need to share its survey results so all can benefit from the North Sea breeze? 

EVOL: Neo Next speculation, Kistos' island plans, and HAR2 just has to be good

This week we got further updates on the Neo Energy and Repsol tie-up, Kistos' full year results for 2024 and the results of HAR2. Energy Voice's Ryan Duff, Erikka Askeland and Mat Perry discuss.
First up, what's happening at Flotta? Erikka chats about the gas terminal's hydrogen plans and what attracted Neo Energy's private equity backers to the Spanish firm's UK division. Ryan argues that tax incentives from Repsol's extensive decommissioning liabilities may be the answer. 
Next up, Ryan discusses Kistos and its plans to expand the Greater Laggan Area off the west coast of Shetland. The firm has brought attention to the Glendronach field now that operatorship of the area is changing hands. When talking about gas, there has to be a Trump, the trio discusses how US policy is impacting global oil and gas firms. 
Finally, Mat chats about hydrogen and the results of HAR2. Was it perfect? No, but maybe it doesn't need to be. He discusses some of the talking points from a recent conference in Birmingham, which touched on getting hydrogen "good" but it doesn't need to be "perfect" in order to unlock investment. Price is still a sticking point for this fuel source but the government is aiming to tackle this too. 

EVOL X COMET: From criminal to industrial investigations

For 30 years Alan Smith, now head of investigations at COMET, served in the police before turning his attention to industrial investigations.  
Smith sat down with Energy Voice Aberdeen features lead, Ryan Duff, to discuss his career in the police, his shift to the private sector and how his approach to investigations had to change when he left law enforcement.  
“I knew instinctively that when my police career came to an end that I was going to move into the world of industry investigations,” said Smith. 
The self-proclaimed “career investigator” joined what was then called Grampian Police, where he became a detective. Investigating incidents in the North Sea fell under his remit while in the police, something that set him up for a life in industrial investigations. 
Smith’s career post-police work has taken him to various places around the globe to investigate a range of incidents. Listen to Alan Smith’s full conversation with Energy Voice.