Energy Unplugged by Aurora

This week on Energy Unplugged, Lara Panjkov, Aurora Energy Research's Head of Research for APAC, and Zelin Chen, Aurora's Market and Research Lead for China, are joined by Anders Hove, Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. For years, the story of China's energy transition was one of scale: more solar, more wind, more batteries, more transmission. Now the challenge is changing. As renewable generation surges and power demand continues to grow, China's focus is shifting from building clean energy capacity to integrating it. That transition is exposing new questions around market design, system flexibility, provincial decision-making and the role of coal, gas and storage in an increasingly renewable power system. Drawing on more than a decade of experience studying China's energy sector, Anders reflects on China's rise from low-cost manufacturer to global clean energy leader and explains why the country's power sector has entered what he describes as its "messy midgame". The conversation explores the latest Five-Year Plan, the evolution of renewable support mechanisms, the growing importance of flexibility, and whether China's biggest challenge is no longer building infrastructure, but using it more effectively. Main topics include: China's rise from clean energy follower to clean energy leader Why integrating renewables is becoming harder than building them The push and pull between central planning, provincial governments and market reform Whether flexibility, not infrastructure, will determine the success of China's energy transition

This week on Energy Unplugged, Marc Hedin, Head of Research for Western Europe & Africa at Aurora Energy Research, is joined by Rachel Fletcher, Director of Regulation & Economics at Octopus Energy, to tackle a question at the heart of Britain’s energy debate: why are electricity bills so high, and what would it take to bring them down? As the UK pushes ahead with electrification, Rachel argues that the challenge is no longer just about building more renewable generation. Instead, the conversation explores whether the current market design, network investment strategy, and approach to flexibility are fit for a rapidly changing power system. The discussion examines the drivers behind rising bills, the role of flexibility and electric vehicles in lowering system costs, and the policy choices that could shape the next phase of the energy transition. Rachel also shares her views on locational pricing, the future role of gas, and the reforms she believes would make the biggest difference for consumers. Main topics include: What is really driving high electricity bills in Great Britain How flexibility, batteries and EVs could reshape the power system The debate over grid expansion, market design and locational pricing The reforms needed to support electrification and lower costs

This week on Energy Unplugged, Oliver Kerr, Aurora Energy Research’s Managing Director for North America, is joined by Arushi Sharma Frank, Founder of Luminary Strategies and one of the leading thinkers shaping the future of power markets in the age of AI. As data centre demand surges across the United States, electricity has become a critical constraint on growth. The challenge is no longer simply building more infrastructure - but finding new ways to use the grid more efficiently and connect large loads faster. Drawing on her work at the centre of recent market reforms in Texas, Arushi argues that flexibility, not just new transmission and generation, will be essential to unlocking the next phase of AI-led growth. The conversation examines how large electricity users could become active participants in the power system, helping to relieve constraints, improve reliability, and accelerate access to power. From regulatory innovation and grid planning to distributed energy resources and flexible computing, Oliver and Arushi discuss how power markets may need to evolve as electricity demand rises to levels not seen in decades. You will learn about: Why AI is transforming the way power systems think about large-load interconnection. How flexible demand could help unlock grid capacity and accelerate access to power. Why Texas is emerging as a testing ground for new approaches to grid flexibility. How batteries, distributed energy resources, and workload shifting could reshape power system planning. What utilities, policymakers, and large customers need to do to support the next phase of electricity demand growth. Interested in continuing the conversation? Join us at the Aurora Energy Transition Forum New York 2026, where 250 senior leaders from across the energy sector will debate the future of power markets, grid reliability, AI-driven demand growth, and infrastructure investment. Use code PODCAST20 for 20% off your ticket. For more information on what has been discussed in today's episode, please see the below resources: • Dispatchability, Not Vibes: What PJM Market Monitor Gets Right—and Misses—on Data Centers Flex https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/dispatchability-not-vibes-what-pjm • The Grid Provides the Floor. The Private Sector Must Firm the Rest. Data Center "Flex" Needs New Language Fit For Purpose - Dynamic Firming is Speed to Power. https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/the-grid-provides-the-floor-the-private • PCLR Origin Story Part 1: Speed to Power for Large Loads in ERCOT EPRI Summer Seminar, the Pacific Ocean, and the Public Good Nature of Championing Market Design Reform. https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/origin-story-speed-to-power-for-ai • PCLR Origin Story Part 2: Speed to Power for AI Loads in ERCOT How to get ERCOT comfortable with "managing" controllable load in exchange for earlier "connection" - NPRR1188 as PGRR134 Foundation https://arushisharmafrank.substack.com/cp/192362539 • PCLR Origin Story Part 3: 60% of Data Center Load should be Dispatch-Ready https://luminarystrategies.substack.com/p/pclr-origin-story-part-3-60-of-data • Global Capacity Alliance: https://globalcapacityalliance.org/ • Book recommendation: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/books/7-rules-of-power/

This week on Energy Unplugged, Richard Howard, Aurora Energy Research’s Global Research Director, is joined by Jan Rosenow, Energy Programme Lead, Jackson Senior Research Fellow and Professor of Energy & Climate Policy at Oxford University. Drawing on his latest research, Jan explores the concept of the “primary energy fallacy” - the mistaken assumption that the clean energy transition requires replacing today’s fossil fuel energy inputs on a one-for-one basis with clean power. Richard and Jan discuss why this view overstates the scale of the challenge, and how electrification fundamentally changes the equation by delivering the same energy services with far less energy input. The conversation examines how electrification is reshaping transport, buildings, and industry, why electric technologies are often dramatically more efficient than their fossil-fuel counterparts, and what this means for energy demand, system planning, and decarbonisation strategies. From electric vehicles and heat pumps to industrial process heat and thermal storage, the discussion explores the opportunities and barriers that will determine the pace of electrification over the coming decades. You will learn about: Why the “primary energy fallacy” may be causing us to overestimate the scale of the energy transition. How electrification can deliver the same energy services with significantly less energy input. Why transport is electrifying rapidly, while buildings and industry continue to face economic and policy barriers. How technologies such as heat pumps, thermal batteries, and electric process heating are expanding the scope for electrification. What governments and energy markets need to do to make electricity the default choice across the economy. For a deeper dive into the topic, read Jan Rosenow's accompanying article, "Is Electrification Happening Fast Enough?": Is electrification happening fast enough? - by Jan Rosenow