Could we achieve as much as a 10% energy saving on the path to 2030 through tackling inefficiencies on the system? This is the bold claim of a new thinktank comprised of six energy policy experts. The Utility Week Podcast welcomes the Energy Geeks - Eric Brown, Maxine Frerk, Roger Hey, Laura Sandys, Steven Steer and Alan Whitehead. Listen to their views on why the smart meter rollout should be given to networks, voltage level reduced and operating standards re-examined, among other topics.
Download the first report from the Energy Geeks here. https://utilityweek.co.uk/delivering-customer-cost-carbon-and-connections-dividends/ 


Tackling waste on the energy system, with the Energy Geeks

Decarbonisation is perhaps the biggest issue shipping faces, and it’s unique in that it affects everyone, whatever your politics. 

The question we, and much of the shipping industry asks, is not whether future fuels will become viable one day, but rather which of them will win the race. 

Of course, we’re often told things like “we see a multi-fuel future” or “we are fuel agnostic”. 

But besides looking for that crystal ball we so regrettably lack, it helps to look at what’s out there today. And judging on data released by Norwegian class society DNV, what’s out there is LNG.

Orders for vessels that were at least dual-fuel LNG doubled in 2024, with 264 orders placed. That’s 100 more than the next most popular alternative, methanol.

LNG ships represent nearly 10% of ships on order and 26% of gross tonnage on order, about double methanol’s share.

So why is LNG so far in front in the alternative fuel race? 

Joining Declan on the podcast are: 

Jason Stefanatos, global decarbonisation director, DNV
Peter Keller, chairman, Sea-LNG
 
 

Why is LNG winning the future fuel race?

MONDAY February 17 kicks off the first of a crucial series of climate talks at the International Maritime Organization.

There are just two intersessional working group meetings, and one Marine Environment Protection Committee left to approve regulations to bring shipping to net zero by or around 2050.

Hundreds of negotiators will be working day and night to agree on some combination of a carbon price tool and a greenhouse gas fuel standard.

The rules have to close the price gap between fossil and green fuels, kickstart investment in renewable supply chains, and also help poorer countries and low-lying islands cope with the costs of climate change.

This has been talked about this for many years now, but 2025 is different. 

The IMO’s 2023 GHG Strategy requires it to approve its mid-term measures in April and adopt them in October, to then come into force by 2027.

So, what can we expect? ISW-GHG is not open to the press, but it’s where much of the real political horse-trading takes place. 

The IMO’s 176 member states are split roughly between those in favour of a carbon levy per tonne of CO2 equivalent, combined with a green fuel standard, and those who only want a fuel standard alone.

Declan Bush takes you behind the doors of the IMO ahead of an important week for the shipping industry. 

Joining Declan on this week’s episode are: 

Guy Platten, secretary general, International Chamber of Shipping 
Jesse Fahnestock, decarbonisation director, Global Maritime Forum 


It’s crunch time at the IMO. Or is it?

Join Kit Marie on location at the vibrant Norwich Science Festival 2025 for a special episode of Coffee & Geography! This episode is packed with engaging conversations and insights from the Climate Ambassadors exhibit, featuring a diverse range of topics including adaptation, resilience, biodiversity, climate education, green careers, and decarbonisation.

You can WATCH a special video edit of this episode over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxsvBwbg63Y

Listen in as Kit Marie chats with various Climate Ambassadors and experts, such as Eilidh Chapman from THURN Group on passive acoustic monitoring of underwater insects, and Azza Dirar from Norfolk and Waveney Mind on the intersection of mental health and climate change. Discover the innovative ways young people are getting involved in climate action, from creating mini climate action plans to exploring the role of insects in ecosystems.

You'll also hear from Matthew Henderson of Scottish and Southern Energy about the importance of renewable energy and green careers, and Stella Ramey from Colchester Zoo on how connecting with nature can build resilience. Plus, get a glimpse into the fascinating world of offshore wind farms with Diana Ng from ODiGE.

This episode is a celebration of community, education, and the collective effort to tackle climate change. Whether you're a teacher, student, or just passionate about the environment, there's something here for everyone. Grab your favorite brew and join us for a motivating journey through the Climate Ambassadors Exhibit at 2025's Norwich Science Festival!

Education settings in England can get in touch with any DfE-supported Sister Project for support with climate action:

- Climate Ambassadors (www.climateambassadors.org.uk)
- Let's Go Zero (https://letsgozero.org/climate-action-advisors/)
- National Education Nature Park (https://www.educationnaturepark.org.uk/)
- Sustainability Support for Education (https://www.sustainabilitysupportforeducation.org.uk/)

### About Coffee & Geography

The aim of ‘Coffee & Geography’ is to get to know, explore and celebrate the diverse & intersectional range of people and their love for the world. If you're interested in being a guest or want to find out more, then visit geogramblings.com/coffee-geography-podcast. There you will also find an interactive map to explore the locations of guests and the brews that they drink!

Music: 'Spark of Inspiration' by Shane Ivers (www.silvermansound.com/)

### How you can support the podcast and continue the conversation

- Follow us on Bluesky at bsky.app/profile/geogramblings.com and the hashtag #CoffeeGeogPod
- Post a listener question for guests using #GeogQOverABrew
- Rate, review (ratethispodcast.com/coffeegeogpod) and subscribe to the podcast via your preferred platform.
- Support Geogramblings education efforts by donating at ko-fi.com/kitrackley
- Switch your energy provider to Octopus Energy via this link: share.octopus.energy/reed-foal-15. Any referral rewards will go towards Geogramblings education efforts.

Coffee & Geography 5x06 Climate Ambassadors Exhibit at Norwich Science Festival 2025

The 'FSR Policy Briefcase' Season 2 episode 2 covers "TEN-E", the EU policy for planning and building cross-border energy networks, in light of the Draghi reports recommendations. In particular, it explores the TEN-E's past achievements, its current role, and potential areas for improvement. For this episode, hosts Leonardo Meeus and Emma Menegatti are joined by Catharina Sikow-Magny from the Florence School of regulation. The conversation builds on Catharina's recently published Policy Brief, "Making TEN-E into a truly European project".
 
The Draghi report identifies energy network investments as critical to Europe. However, the group discussed how it fails to fully acknowledge the already existing TEN-E framework in its recommendations. The discussion moreover explored the different routes for improvement including EU funding mechanisms, regional coordination, and permitting processes.
 
See below for a link to the original Policy Brief
https://fsr.eui.eu/publications/?handle=1814/77413

#2 TEN-E vs Draghi - Do we need a new framework for EU energy networks? with Catharina Sikow-Magny

This episode of the Lloyd's List Podcast was brought to you by Wirana - visit www.wirana.com/ for more information

GREEN ship finance arrived a few years ago to much fanfare and hope. But times have changed.

Lenders face many of the same hurdles as the rest of shipping: Uncertain regulation and technology, plus a lack of clear standards for what is and isn't green. 

But they also have another challenge. Cashed-up shipowners are sitting on piles of pandemic profits and paying back their loans. This means even holding on to a shipping portfolio is a challenge. Fierce competition among lenders has thinned margins, making it harder to offer borrowers much of a discount for greener goals.

President Trump is back in; ESG investing is out. Or is it?

Joining Declan on the podcast this week are: 

Jan-Henrik Huebner, global head of shipping advisory practice, DNV Maritime 

Tobias Backer, executive director, Pelagic Capital

Can green ship finance deliver in 2025?

WITH geopolitical risk changing seemingly by the day and policy from the world’s biggest economy updated on a weekly (and sometimes hourly) basis, it might seem impossible for the shipping industry to plan long-term. 

While this is a sector which thrives on volatility, when assets have 20-year lifespans, some degree of certainty is essential to make prudent long-term decisions. 

So how can shipowners decide where to put their money when the ground they shift on is always moving? 

Richard Meade led an assembled panel of some of the brightest minds in the industry at Singapore Maritime Week for the latest Lloyd’s List Outlook forum, and in this week’s episode of the podcast we’re bringing you the best bits. 

Joining Richard in Singapore were: 

Janeyndu Krishna, head of maritime advisors at Drewry
Nick Brown, chief executive at Lloyd’s Register 
Eman Abdallah, global operations director at Cargill Ocean Transportation
Mikel Skov, chief executive at Hafnia
Captain Rajesh Unni, founder and chief executive of Synergy Group 


The Lloyd’s List Outlook Forum: Live from Singapore

In the tenth episode of TechMarketView's sustainability technology podcast "Totally Sust", Principal Analyst Craig Wentworth talks to Faith Taylor (Senior Vice-President for Global Citizenship & Sustainability at Kyndryl) about how the company is decarbonising its infrastructure and helping customers reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions.

Tune in to hear how Kyndryl integrated decarbonisation into its business strategy from day one, successfully reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 8% and water use in stressed areas by 9%. Faith shares valuable insights on aligning sustainability with business growth, making the financial case for environmental initiatives, and building Kyndryl’s "Green Guild" of nearly 500 employee volunteers who drive innovation from the ground up.
This is an edited version of the podcast. Subscribers to TechMarketView’s SustainabilityViews research can listen to (and download) the full-length 29-minute version from our website. See https://www.techmarketview.com/videos/totally-sust-10-pairing-sustainability-with-profitability for more details.


Totally Sust #10: Pairing sustainability with profitability [EDIT]

On Friday, some 20 years of decarbonisation work at the International Maritime Organization culminated in a historic agreement, with countries voting 63-16 in favour of an emissions fuel standard with a built-in carbon price.

If it Is formally adopted in October, this will be the first binding global carbon price on any industry; a genuinely momentous achievement that will change the future of shipping.

What they’ve come up with is highly complex and is going to take the industry a while to fully digest.

But fear not, we have three brave experts willing to help make sense of it and tell us, hopefully, what comes next.

Marie Fricaudet is a senior research fellow at the UCL Energy Institute

Aoife O’Leary is a lawyer, economist, and the chief executive of Opportunity Green

And Rico Luman, a senior sector economist at ING Bank

The MEPC post-mortem

The EU’s two big green regulations on shipping have had many consequences, whether intended or otherwise. But their original purpose was as a threat.

Four years ago the International Maritime Organization had been dragging its feet on agreeing any kind of meaningful limits on CO2 from ships. So Brussels effectively told the regulator: reduce your emissions, or we will.

The European Commission extended its emissions trading system to cover half of emissions from voyages to and from the EU. It also pitched a green fuel standard called FuelEU Maritime, which fines companies unless they phase in greener fuels over time.

The ETS started at the beginning of 2024 and the first credits are due to be handed over by September 30. FuelEU is being phased in too, with its own set of deadlines in the coming years. Shipping has been preparing ever since.

But now the EU could be close to getting its original wish.

A global net zero framework for cutting emissions is on its way from the IMO, though it needs to be formally adopted in October.

So, now we have a global regime on the horizon, shouldn’t Europe fall into line?

The commission has said will consider changing its ways – if it considers the IMO system ambitious enough for the planet. So, what will it do?

Joining Declan on this week's podcast are: 

Magda Kopczyńska, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission 

Simon Bennett, Deputy Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping

What next for the ETS?

A blend of interviews and analysis from one of the most influential analyst and advisory firms in the UK tech market.

www.techmarketview.com

Join Utility Week’s editorial team as they discuss the biggest talking points across the energy and water sectors.

Lloyd’s List is the world’s leading source of insight, analysis and data for shipping businesses and professionals

== About the 'Coffee & Geography' podcast ==

The aim of ‘Coffee & Geography’ is to get to know, explore and celebrate the diverse & intersectional range of people and their love for the world. We’ll have fun exploring all the myriad of ways that connects your life to geography. Wait – you don’t think you’re a ‘geographer’? Well, that’s ok! If you have a love and passion for the world then you probably are more than you know.

If you're interested in being a guest or want to find out more, then visit https://geogramblings.com/coffee-geography-podcast/. There you will also find an interactive map to explore the locations of guests and the brews that they drink!

Follow us on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/CoffeeGeogPod. 

The Coffee & Geography Podcast is a 'Geogramblings' production, hosted and produced by Kit Rackley (they/them). The podcast is supported by generous donations via https://ko-fi.com/kitrackley and takes advice from an advisory board of volunteers.

== About Geogramblings ==

Kit Rackley (Geogramblings) spent 13 years as a Geography high-school teacher, and is now freelancing as an educational blogger, author, speaker & trainer. They are a consultant to the Geographical Association (UK) and work through the University of East Anglia to raise aspirations of young people to Higher Education. 

Kit's projects include the Geogramblings.com educational blog, communicating issues through performing arts, the Coffee & Geography podcast and many community-based initiatives.

New tracks tagged #decarbonisation