The EU Energy Projects Podcast

In this episode of the EU Energy projects podcast, Siemens Energy’s Mark Kuschel tells Areti Ntaradimou how the LIFE Blue 420KV GIS project is pioneering SF6 free HV switchgear and digital monitoring.

The drive to phase out SF6 as a high global warming potential gas from electricity switchgear has been gathering momentum. Already its ban has been in place in Europe for new MV switchgear starting 1 January, and with new HV switchgear up to 145kV set to follow from 1 January 2028.

This has resulted in the development of alternatives by vendors, as part of which Siemens Energy is leading the LIFE Blue 420kV GIS project, pioneering the use of a natural origin mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, or ‘clean air’ as the company calls it, for use in 420kV switchgear.

In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, we revisit the EU-funded BEGONIA project to explore how it is helping lay the foundations for next-generation Operational Digital Platforms (ODPs) in the energy and transport sectors.

Unlike conventional research initiatives, BEGONIA was designed as a Coordination and Support Action, focused on preparing the ground for large-scale digital cooperation. As Niccolò Fattirolli, COO of Olivo Energy and lead for stakeholder engagement, explains, the project’s mission has been to identify best practices across Europe, develop promising use cases, and bring them close to real-world implementation.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou spoke with Leon Nielsen from CIRCE Technology Centre, a leading Spanish research and innovation organisation at the forefront of Europe’s energy transition.

The conversation explored how policy, technology, and collaboration intersect to shape a more sustainable, flexible, and resilient energy system.

Based in Zaragoza, CIRCE plays a crucial role in translating research into real-world solutions. As Nielsen explained, their work spans electricity production and storage, industrial decarbonisation, transport, digitalisation, and energy efficiency.

They discussed three flagship initiatives that illustrate this approach. Project Chronicle, Reflex and EFORT.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast Jonathan Spencer Jones is joined by Ilias Zafieropoulos, Technology Director at Ubitech Energy and coordinator of the HYNET project. The interest in DC power systems has surged, driven by the growing use of power electronic-based loads and the increasing deployment of distributed energy resource, many of which operate in DC or include a DC stage. The HYNET project is one of a cluster of projects advancing DC technologies.

Catch up on the latest episodes: https://www.enlit.world/about-us/eu-energy-projects-podcast

In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou had the pleasure of speaking with Ainhoa Cortés, project lead of Project WILLOW, an EU-funded initiative tackling one of offshore wind’s most pressing and least visible challenges: how to balance energy production with the long-term health of wind turbines.

At the heart of the project is an ambitious integration of structural health monitoring, physical models, and AI-driven tools. WILLOW combines SCADA data, accelerometer readings, corrosion and coating sensors, and machine-learning models to produce far more accurate lifetime predictions. This makes it possible not only to detect damage earlier, but also to make smarter operational decisions. For example, curtailing a turbine already showing signs of degradation rather than one in good condition.