In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, host Areti Ntaradimou had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Susanne Nies, Project Lead at Helmholtz Centre and one of the most insightful voices in European energy policy.
The conversation centred on a question Ntaradimou often returns to: how exactly is the European Commission shaping the path toward climate neutrality, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead?
Susanne took us on a journey through the evolution of EU energy policy, reminding us that it started with market liberalisation and environmental concerns, but has grown into something much bigger. The European Green Deal, she explained, is truly a turning point.
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36:52
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36:52
Flexibility: The quiet superpower of Europe’s energy transition
Flexibility has been making headlines across Europe lately, and for good reason. As the continent races to integrate more renewables, adapt to volatile energy markets, and strengthen its grid resilience, flexibility has emerged as a central theme in both policy debates and innovation projects.
But beyond the buzzwords, what does it actually mean in practice? And how are European actors turning it from an abstract goal into a working reality?
Those were the questions at the heart of our host, Areti Ntaradimou's recent conversation with Charles Esser, Secretary General of E.DSO, and Anastasia Skapoula, Lead of the Dissemination Task for the BeFlexible project and Junior Projects Officer at E.DSO.
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41:38
Building inclusive data spaces for Europe’s energy communities with project Data Cellar
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, we explore with Martina Galluccio, Data Cellar's project lead, how there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to data.
A participatory design approach has been crucial for the success of the Data Cellar project. From the beginning, the team prioritised user-friendly tools, knowing that not every stakeholder is a tech expert.
Simplifying onboarding, creating intuitive services, and providing targeted training - from high-level explanations of what a data space even is, to detailed guidance on preparing datasets - has helped bring people into the fold.
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Community engagement & fair benefit sharing in renewable energy projects
In this episode of the EU Projects podcast, host Areti Ntaradimou and Chris Vrettos, Financing Policy Advisor of Rescoop, discuss the motivations, challenges, and impacts of energy initiatives across Europe.
Chris opens our conversation with a simple truth that feels more urgent every year: the energy transition is already happening, and it needs to accelerate fast. The market is moving quickly; prices for renewables and storage continue to fall, making it economically viable to move away from fossil fuels. But while technology is racing ahead, social and political dynamics are struggling to keep pace.
The climate crisis is no longer just a topic of scientific conferences or policy debates, it’s right outside our doors. For Chris and many others living in southern Europe, the brutal summers are a reminder that we are running out of time. Therefore, the question becomes not if we transition, but how.
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Unlocking flexibility and innovation for a decarbonised future
During the last edition of EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) Maria Laura Trifiletti and Edoardo Genova, both from Zabala, organised a very interesting session on electrifying the industry.
After listening to their interesting panel discussion during the event, our host Areti Ntaradimou felt compelled to ask them a few questions on the subject. Hence this podcast episode.
Their message is unmistakable: if Europe is serious about reaching climate neutrality, electrifying the industrial sector isn't just one strategy, it’s the cornerstone.
The EU Energy Projects Podcast is an insider’s look into the world of EU-funded projects transforming the energy sector in Europe.
Every fortnight we focus on a new topic in the energy transition and talk to representatives from projects that are enabling the transition to green energy by finding solutions to the sector’s most pressing problems.
The EU Energy Projects Podcast s brought to you by Enlit Europe and is curated and hosted by EU Projects Zone Editor and Director Areti Ntaradimou.
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