Extending the life of EU energy projects through strategic branding
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Fridrik Larsen, one of Europe’s leading experts in branding and reputation management, as well as the Godfather of Enlit.
With deep expertise in brand positioning and stakeholder engagement, Fridrik has spent years helping organizations bridge the gap between innovation and public perception. His insights offer a valuable perspective on an often-overlooked element of EU-funded research and innovation projects: branding.
As Fridrik explains, while the principles of branding remain the same across sectors, energy presents unique challenges. “Branding is just branding,” he notes. “But energy is tied to politics, human rights and daily life in a way that few other products are.” This heightened sensitivity requires energy innovators to be especially mindful of how they communicate the origins, impact, and benefits of their work. Even so, the fundamentals, i.e. understanding your target audience, articulating a clear value proposition and maintaining a meaningful dialogue, remain essential.
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INSIEME: Building the common European energy data space
In the latest episode of the EU Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou sits down with Georg Hartner, representative of INSIEME, an ambitious Digital Europe action under the custody of DG Connect. The project’s mission is both visionary and deeply practical: to establish and deploy a common European energy data space by the sector, for the sector.
At its core, INSIEME brings together an impressive alliance; 54 key European partners including TSOs, DSOs, solution providers, flexibility service providers, market platforms, and leading digital innovators from across the continent. The project runs from April 2025 until 2028, addressing one of the biggest challenges facing the energy sector today: data fragmentation.
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Redefining circularity in Europe with IS2H4C
In this episode, Areti Ntaradimou spoke with Dr Devrim Murat Yazan, coordinator of the ambitious European IS2H4C project, short for Implementing Systemic and Sustainable Industrial Symbiosis for Hubs for Circularity.
At its core, IS2H4C aims to make the circular economy a practical reality. The project integrates advanced technologies such as carbon capture, electrolysis and digital tools, but it also recognises that true circularity depends on people, partnerships and policies. Aligned with the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, IS2H4C embodies Europe’s commitment to achieving long-term climate neutrality.
Dr Yazan highlights a growing momentum across Europe toward “systemic circularity”, where industrial, urban and rural systems are connected through collaborative hubs. Supported by the European Commission, IS2H4C is one of four large-scale projects designed to establish these Hubs for Circularity, turning policy ambitions into operational models for sustainable growth.
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Competitiveness, security, and the grids that bind it all
In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, we sit down with Manuel Gálvez to discuss what’s next for EU energy policy and why grids are at the heart of it all.
For Manuel, who is Senior European Affairs Advisor at Elia Group and Vice Convener for Policy within ENTSO-E’s Policy and Communications Group, the European energy conversation has clearly evolved. “A few years ago, the focus was on decarbonisation above all,” he says. “Today, competitiveness and security are equally pressing.” Recent geopolitical shocks have reshaped priorities, making energy affordability, security of supply and resilience central to Europe’s long-term strategy. But this, he emphasises, doesn’t mean Europe should lose sight of its green ambitions, rather, decarbonisation remains the foundation for competitiveness and stability.
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From vision to reality: How EasyDC-FOS is powering Europe’s energy future
In this latest episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou with Manuel Muñoz, coordinator of the EasyDC-FOS project, a European initiative that is redefining how we think about high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology for interconnections and offshore grids.
As Europe moves toward a fully integrated and decarbonised energy system, HVDC infrastructure is no longer a distant vision, it is a necessity. The European Commission has set clear priorities on strengthening cross-border interconnections and offshore energy hubs, and projects like EasyDC-FOS are key to turning those goals into reality.
You will have the opportunity to talk to the EasyDC-FOS representatives and learn more about the project at the EU Projects Zone during ENLIT Europe 2025 in Bilbao.
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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