Redefining Energy

• 195. The Battery Doctor - Sep25

  Battery technology lies at the core of the global energy transition, but managing and optimizing battery systems has become a highly specialized discipline. ACCURE is a cutting-edge startup that is redefining how batteries are monitored and operated.Using artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, and deep electrochemical expertise, ACCURE has established itself in the field of predictive battery analytics. The company currently supports over 6 gigawatt-hours of battery systems across various sectors including electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage, marine applications, and insurance.In this episode, Gerard and Laurent are joined by Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies, CEO and co-founder of ACCURE, to explore How cloud-based analytics are driving advancements in battery safety, performance, and longevity.The conversation delves into the electrochemical processes occurring inside batteries and how sensors provide critical insights. We also examine the role of Battery Management Systems (BMS) and Energy Management Systems (EMS) as the digital infrastructure of battery operation and how predictive analytics represents a new category of operational capability for battery fleets.From early warning systems that prevent thermal runaway to precise lifetime predictions that influence asset financing, ACCURE demonstrates how data-driven insights can transform battery systems into safer, more efficient, and more profitable energy assets.Laurent and Gerard enjoy having dynamic start-ups on the show, that foster the Energy Transition.

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• 194. Next-Gen Weather Forecasting: AI, Satellites, and Drones - Sep25

  Water, wind, sunlight — the driving forces behind renewable energy. The better we can predict them, the more we can accelerate progress and reduce risk.  Weather forecasting is undergoing a quantum leap, powered by breakthroughs in satellites, drones, and artificial intelligence. Once the exclusive domain of national weather services, the industry is now being transformed by a new wave of tech-driven startups. And the market is booming.  In this episode, Laurent and Gerard welcome Dr. Martin J. Fengler, a German mathematician and the founder and CEO of Meteomatics AG. Based in Switzerland, Meteomatics is a cutting-edge weather technology company with over 130 employees and a client base of 600 — including high-profile names like NASA, Lockheed Martin, Toyota, Tesla, and numerous utility companies. About 25% of its clients are in the energy sector.  Meteomatics stands out not only for its AI-driven weather models but also for its proprietary fleet of weather drones, capable of flying up to 6 kilometres high, delivering ultra-precise atmospheric data. The company has raised over $35 million in venture capital to date.  In our conversation, we explore the future of weather tech, its role in tackling climate change, the growing risks of extreme weather, surprising use cases — and yes, even wind theft.  Heads up: This one’s for the geeks.And at the end, Laurent sings for Lisa

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• 193. The Seven Deadly Sins of the Energy Transition

  Three wise men met and discussed the Seven Sins of The Energy Transition. Laurent, Gerard and Michael dissect seven sectors that have captured attention, investments and public money and are at best dead ends, at worst disasters waiting to happen.Greed — “Subsidy Mining in a Lab Coat” (Carbon Capture & Direct Air Capture)A capital-intensive detour that soaks up public money while delivering trivial abatement at extreme cost, great PR for incumbents, weak climate math. Gluttony — “Three Kilowatt-Hours to Move One” (Hydrogen-for-Energy)An energy-wasting appetite: make H₂ with clean power, then throw most of that power away moving, compressing, liquefying, and reconverting it—useful only in narrow industrial niches. Sloth — “Always ‘On Time’ by 2040” (Small Modular Reactors)Perma-prototype promises that stay years late and dollars short while wind, solar, and storage deploy at scale now. Pride — “We Will Bottle the Sun” (Fusion Salvationism)Technological hubris as strategy: a captivating physics quest, but not a climate plan for the 2030s. Invest in science, don’t budget on miracles. Lust — “Drop-In Fantasies for Every Engine” (Biofuels-Everywhere)The seductive promise of pouring yesterday’s fuels into tomorrow’s problems; keep them for hard-to-electrify edges, not as a universal fix. Wrath — “Culture War at Sea” (America’s Offshore-Wind Own-Goals)Ideological backlash, litigation, and policy whiplash torch viable projects and local supply chains while the rest of the world builds.Envy — “Green Halo by Checkbox” (ESG Box-Ticking)Chasing ratings and labels instead of real-world decarbonization and cash-flow-relevant risk; better to separate E, S, and G and measure outcomes   

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• 192. How AI will revolutionise Energy

  Gerard delivered a keynote on Digitalisation, AI, Supply Chains and Electrification at the EcoVadis Global Summit.Gerard Reid argues that we are living through a new industrial revolution driven by digitalization, AI, and electrification, comparable in scale to the steam and automobile revolutions of the past. He highlights how China is rapidly outpacing Western forecasts in areas like AI, solar power, and electric vehicles, reshaping global competitiveness. Reid stresses that AI will transform industries—from healthcare to transport to energy—while massively increasing the world’s demand for electricity, which will increasingly be met through solar and battery storage. His central message is that businesses and countries must adopt a growth mindset, embrace AI as an enabler, and adapt quickly—or risk irrelevance in the face of accelerating global change.EcoVadis is a globally recognized platform that provides sustainability ratings and assessments for companies, focusing on their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. It evaluates businesses across four key themes: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. These assessments help companies manage ESG risks, ensure compliance, and improve sustainability practices across their operations and supply chains.

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• 191. “How Big Things Get Done” with Pr. Bent Flyvbjerg (hosted by Michael Barnard)

  This is a re-release of the legendary interview by Michael Barnard of Pr Bent Flyvbjerg on our sister show ”Redefining Energy Tech” Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, an expert on megaprojects and author of How Big Things Get Done, shares insights from a database of over 16,000 projects, revealing that 99.5% fail to meet expectations in budget, timeline, or benefits.He stresses the value of learning from successful projects, especially in renewable energy, where solar, wind, and transmission projects outperform nuclear power, which suffers from regulatory hurdles and skill shortages.Flyvbjerg introduces key concepts like modularity, repeatability, and the “window of doom”—the critical early phase when delays can derail projects. He contrasts fast, modular successes like the Tesla Gigafactory with slow, complex projects like nuclear plants and the Olympics.The episode also compares pumped hydro and battery storage, highlighting the role of risk management, stakeholder alignment, and using data-based heuristics to guide project decisions. Listeners are encouraged to understand base rates, study variance charts (especially Chapter 9 of Flyvbjerg's book), and develop their own heuristics for better megaproject outcomes.

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