Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change

• ⁠Hydrogen Subsidies, Clean Power & Fixing Spain's Blackouts | Ep212: EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen

  What will it take to finally wean Europe off Russian gas? Can renewables help with grid stability? And is the EU making a mistake subsidising hydrogen? This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich sits down with EU Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen to dissect the continent's energy transformation. In this wide ranging interview recorded at the Berlaymont building in Brussels — the home of the European Commission — Liebreich and Jørgensen delve into critical topics including reducing dependency on Russian energy, the economics of renewable technologies, the role of nuclear power, and the contentious economics of green hydrogen. Jørgensen defends the EU's ambitious climate goals while addressing concerns about cost, competitiveness, and political pushback against the green transition. Leadership Circle:Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live. Discover more:Sierra Leone special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-5QjSfy2SMDecarbonizing the last few percent: https://mliebreich.substack.com/p/decarbonizing-the-last-few-percentLessons from Spain: https://mliebreich.substack.com/p/lessons-from-spainEU Hydrogen Strategy: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/eus-energy-system/hydrogen_en  

  --------  

  38:17
• Renewables Are Here To Stay. Get Over It. | Ep211: Antonio Cammisecra

  The world's electricity system is transforming: We're integrating more and more variable renewables. Fossil plants are running fewer hours. Demand is growing everywhere, including in the developed world, as we electrify transport and heating, and AI data centers elbow their way onto the grid. Some people find this very threatening but not Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of ContourGlobal. CounterGlobal is a leading independent power producer who is well on their way to transition away from coal to electricity production based on renewables and gas. Antonio joins Michael on Cleaning Up to discuss how to build resilience and security in renewable-dominated grids, how ContourGlobal's battery storage systems are delivering solar at night, and why grids around the world are struggling to cope as electricity demand rises. Leadership Circle:Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live. Discover More: ContourGlobal's website: https://www.contourglobal.comEpisode 74 with Francesco Starace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_LnZz09Cwk Episode 201 with Nikso Tsafos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUvKzs82Mi0Episode 208 with Anders Lindberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtsCCJ4o1WA The Year Energy Woke Up to AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwZ2iNh133A Decarbonizing the last few percent: https://mliebreich.substack.com/p/decarbonizing-the-last-few-percent Lessons from Spain: https://mliebreich.substack.com/p/lessons-from-spain 

  --------  

  1:07:18
• Is The Tide Turning On Hydrogen? Ep210: Andrew Forrest

  Billionaire iron magnate Andrew Forrest believes he's on the cusp of a breakthrough to decarbonise shipping and heavy industry using hydrogen. As the Executive Chairman of the Fortescue, one of the world's largest iron ore companies, Andrew Forrest is not an easy to pigeonhole industrial billionaire. He built Fortescue into a hugely successful company, partly thanks to his belief in taking unconventional paths. After a serious accident meant he had to take a break from work, he enrolled in a PhD in marine science. For over a decade now, has been very vocally committed to getting his company's practices aligned with a climate-safe pathway. More recently, he's also been shaking fellow CEOs and leaders out of climate complacency by highlighting the risks of lethal humidity. This week on Cleaning Up, Bryony Worthington asks Andrew about the current climate crusade he's on, what he makes of the recent policy decisions taken by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to agree carbon penalties for highly emitting ships, and if hydrogen can compete with renewables to be the power source of the future. Leadership Circle:Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live. Discover More:Fortescue's website: https://www.fortescue.com/enThe Sierra Leone Special: https://youtu.be/z-5QjSfy2SMHydrogen Insider: 'The market didn’t turn up' | Fortescue's green hydrogen boss exits the company: https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/production/the-market-didn-t-turn-up-fortescues-green-hydrogen-boss-exits-the-companyClean Hydrogen's Missing Trillions - Audioblog 13: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNxCrQyCTpk

  --------  

  41:54
• Bond Vigilantes, Game Theory, And Why The US Shouldn’t Go It Alone - Ep209: Mohamed El-Erian

  Have the bond markets become a new form of global governance? Are we witnessing the end of US economic exceptionalism? And how does game theory relate to cooperation on net-zero?This week on Cleaning Up, Bryony Worthington sits down with renowned economist Mohamed El-Erian to unpack the complex intersections of global finance, politics, and climate change. El-Erian offers insights into the current economic landscape, exploring how central banks, trade tensions, and technological innovations are reshaping our understanding of international economics. From the rise of China's green technology sector and the scrapping of Canada’s carbon tax to bond vigilantism and the potential long-term consequences of US trade policy, this episode provides a nuanced look at the challenges and opportunities facing the global economy in an era of unprecedented uncertainty.Find more: The Sierra Leone Special: https://youtu.be/z-5QjSfy2SMMohamed’s website: https://www.mohamedel-erian.com/How China Became a Green Finance Superpower: https://youtu.be/Fu6giWzTxAYLeadership Circle: Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.

  --------  

  43:51
• Can You Run a Grid Entirely On Renewables? Ep208: Anders Lindberg

  Can You Run A Grid Without Fossil Fuels? "Yes," says Anders Lindberg, President of Energy and Executive VP at Wärtsilä, on this week's episode of Cleaning Up. It'll just cost €65 trillion extra by 2050. Anders' team at Wärtsilä has recently published its Crossroads to Net Zero report, which argues that keeping a little bit of flexible generation on the grid will save huge amounts of money as the globe strives for net zero, while also speeding up the transition to renewables. The argument centres on what to do with the last few percent of power supply, and what forms of generation need to be built to ensure consistent electricity supply and prevent black or brown outs.Perhaps unsurprisingly for a gas engine manufacturer, Wärtsilä's report makes the case that gas should provide the last few percentage points of electricity generation. Michael Liebreich puts that claim to the test. Discover more:Wärtsilä's Crossroads to Net Zero report: https://www.wartsila.com/energy/towards-100-renewable-energy/choosing-the-optimal-pathway-for-energy-transitionCan Germany’s Gas Giant Go Green? Ep206: Michael Lewis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOD-f6uSPgcQ&A: What we do – and do not – know about the blackout in Spain and Portugal — https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-we-do-and-do-not-know-about-the-blackout-in-spain-and-portugal/ENTSO-E expert panel initiates the investigation into the causes of Iberian blackout: https://www.entsoe.eu/news/2025/05/09/entso-e-expert-panel-initiates-the-investigation-into-the-causes-of-iberian-blackoutLeadership Circle: Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.

  --------  

  1:02:44

Weitere Nachrichten Podcasts

Trending Nachrichten Podcasts

Über Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change