He is an ultra-runner and an ultra-communicator. When Michal Svoboda talks to Mayors about new eneergy practices he demonstrates both, endurance and creativity. This Czechman who used to work for the leading big energy company is now a fervent advocate of local renewable energy. Michal is an energy consultant and involved in several municipal networks. He also participated in the recent creation of the very first Czech Union for energy communities. I’ve talked with him about the challenge to make sure renewables are not monopolized by large big investors, the changes it requires to initiate collective energy action in a post-communist country and in areas with a deeply entrenched coal culture.

This episode was produced with support from SCCALE 20-30-50. SCCALE is an EU project (Horizon 2020 programme) which makes collaboration happen to get many more energy communities up and running. The people behind SCCALE203050 work on a methodology and toolkit for citizens, cities and policy makers. If you, too, want to see more local energy communities across Europe, check out the toolkit and explore all of the project’s resources at the website sccale203050.eu.

SCCALE episode about Czech energy transitions with Michal Svoboda, Sustainable Energy consultant

The second instalment of the ‘FSR Policy Briefcase’ with Ellen Beckstedde and Emma Menegatti is a detailed discussion on the energy crisis of 2021/2022. Regular hosts Leonardo Meeus and James Kneebone are joined by electricity market experts Ellen Beckstedde and Emma Menegatti, both Research Associates at the Florence School of Regulation. 
The conversation covers the context and conditions that created the energy crisis in the first place, the various policy responses at EU and Member State level, as well as the proposed changes to the electricity market design aimed at safeguarding against future crises. Emma and Ellen also answer some listener questions and reflect on a few key outstanding issues for the electricity sector going forward.
For more info on FSR's views on policy interventions during the energy crisis, see the links below 
https://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/75089
https://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/75580

Episode 2 | Was the energy crisis the key to completing EU electricity market integration?

Please contact Office at publicbankinginstitute.org for the chat transcript.

240308 Coalition Call

The third instalment of the ‘FSR Policy Briefcase’ explores European industrial policy following the energy crisis of 2021/22, specifically the role of clean hydrogen in the protection and continuation of existing energy-intensive industrial sectors as well as in generating new, clean industrial growth. For this episode, regular hosts Leonardo Meeus and James Kneebone are joined by Ilaria Conti of FSR and Jan Cornillie of the EUI's School of Transnational Governance (STG). The conversation builds on the recent publication of a Policy Brief on this subject, written by Jan, James, Ilaria, and Jos Delbeke. 

In a wide-reaching episode, the group discuss the state of play with the hydrogen sector in 2024, including the economic conditions, project-level progress, regulatory status, and the importance of capturing the intersectional and nuanced 'value' of clean hydrogen as not only a clean energy vector but also a vector for industrial transformation. 

See below for a link to the original Policy Brief 
https://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/76564

Episode 3 | How can clean hydrogen contribute to European industrial decarbonisation?

Please contact Office at PublicBankingInstitute.org for Chat Transcript.

240412Coalition Call

We all try to make green choices for a more sustainable world. And so do local authorities as public buyers. Through public procurement authorities buy work, goods or services. Green public procurement means those authorities use their purchasing power to support the clean energy transition. 
In this episode of City Stories, Efren Guillò Sansano who is the Head of Innovation at the Spanish cooperative Grupo Enercoop explains how bidding processes can pave the way for energy communities.  In our conversation, Efren takes the example of Crevillent, a Spanish municipality close to Alicante. A few years ago, the Crevillent City Council created a concession procedure for rooftop solar on municipal buildings and they added special community criteria. One of them was that 80% of the electricity produced on municipal roofs should be shared with local citizens.  
Learn more in my conversation with Efren. Let’s go and let’s dive into the wonderful world of tendering contracts, technical specifications and award criteria.

This episode was produced with support from SCCALE 20-30-50. www.sccale203050.eu

SCCALE episode on public procurement for energy communities

The fourth instalment of the ‘FSR Policy Briefcase’ explores the subject of methane emissions, specifically the establishment of a Methane Regulation in the EU, as well as the increasing attention methane is receiving in the maritime sector, both maritime fuel emissions and leakages from LNG shipments. For this episode, regular hosts Leonardo Meeus and James Kneebone are joined by Andris Piebalgs of FSR and Maria Olczak of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES), the conversation builds on the pair's recent publication of a Policy Brief on this subject.

In a wide-reaching episode, the group discuss the extent of the methane emissions problem and why it has gained so much attention in recent years, the landmark inclusion of methane under the EU ETS, the complexity of regulating in an international sector like maritime, as well as some of the measurement technology used to ensure accountability.

See below for a link to the original Policy Brief

https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/the-decarbonisation-of-maritime-transport-navigating-between-a-global-and-eu-approach/

Episode 4 | Invisible but detectable! Regulating and pricing methane emissions in Europe and at sea

Some say the energy transition is a great opportunity to create a more equal society. Others are more pessimistic and predict that the transition will worsen inequalities. How does reality look like and what solutions do we already have at hand to guarantee fair access and good lives to all, no matter their income, race, religion, gender?

I’m delighted to talk about inclusive cities and communities with two trailblazing women: Kata Tütto and Antonia Proka.

Kata is Deputy Mayor at the City of Budapest, and candidate for this year’s European Parliament election in Hungary. Antonia represents the world of cooperatives: She is project manager at RESCoop.eu and co-author of the Inclusivity Guide for Energy Communities that was released a few months ago. Let’s go for a this episode where we talk about residents of all types and from all strands!

This episode was produced with support from SCCALE 20-30-50. www.sccale203050.eu

SCCALE episode on inclusive power: Changing how we think about cities and energy access

Welcome to City Stories, the podcast by Energy Cities. Energy Cities is the European city network of local authorities in energy transition with over 1000 members from 30 countries. This podcast is for those who want to learn more about how cities go about with the energy transition. The challenge is big, but there are so many new, collaborative practices that emerge and that make this challenge fun and feasible. Each month we invite passionate European guests from different horizons and sectors who dedicate much of their time to making the energy transition more democratic. Each conversation brings out a city’s story as well as very personal opinions and motivations. The podcast is moderated by Miriam Eisermann. It is available on Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts

SCCALE episode about Czech energy transitions with Michal Svoboda, Sustainable Energy consultant

City stories: The podcast by Energy Cities

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