Baringa's Energy Innovators

In this episode of Baringa’s Energy Innovators Podcast, you’ll hear from James Humfrey, CEO of Xlinks, as he takes you inside one of the most ambitious renewable energy projects in the world: transporting clean power across continents using subsea cables.As you listen, you’ll discover:Why interconnectors matter to you as the energy system shifts toward net zero.How Morocco’s solar and wind patterns can deliver up to 19 hours of clean power to Europe — and what that means for grid stability.What it really takes to navigate the geopolitical, regulatory, and technical challenges of mega‑scale energy infrastructure.How projects like this get financed, and what you should understand about the balance between public and private capital.How subsea cables are protected and repaired, giving you a clearer picture of the real security risks (and the myths).Leadership lessons you can apply, as James reflects on mentors, risk‑taking, and building a career in the energy transition.By the end, you’ll walk away with a sharper understanding of how long‑distance clean‑energy transmission works — and how it could reshape the future energy system you rely on every day. About our guest:James Humfrey, CEO, XlinksJames has over 25 years’ experience in the Energy Industry, most recently as EVP for Growth and Industry in ADNOC in Abu Dhabi, where he led capital project development and business development including the development of the new $25 billion Chemical Park in Ruwais. Previously, James held senior roles at Shell, with his last as SVP Downstream M&A. He was also previously in charge of Shell’s Global Capital Projects Contracting (including the $14 billion Canada LNG EPC LS contract) and Chemicals Capital Projects. About our host:Ellen Fraser, Partner and Expert in Energy and Resources, BaringaChances are, you’ve already met Ellen. When it comes to the energy sector, she’s a trusted expert – a familiar face commenting on the BBC, she’s quoted everywhere from the Financial Times to The Guardian. And at Baringa, one of her big clients is energy regulator Ofgem.Ellen’s talent for decoding a complex industry is her opportunity to not only explain it to others, but to be inside the engine room of change. She’s sat in boardrooms with the CEOs of every major UK energy supplier. And her work with Ofgem cuts to the heart of policy and regulation. Ellen believes even the most difficult situations – like a national energy price crisis – can focus minds on the world’s move towards clean, renewable power.Ellen takes complicated questions and strips them down. She looks for simple, effective solutions. The “so what?” buried in a pile of detail. With this approach, she steers her clients around pitfalls.

In this episode, Baringa's Ellen Fraser hosts a discussion with Sharon Johnson, CEO of AgilityEco and Rebecca Teasdale, expert in Home and Transport Decarbonisation at Baringa.In this episode, we discuss a recent study that AgilityEco commissioned Baringa to deliver ‘Turbocharging the benefits of Great Britain's emerging home energy efficiency sector.’ It highlights the opportunity for energy efficiency upgrades, which could also grow the home decarbonisation sector, create jobs, and boost the economy. The report showed that improving the energy efficiency of residential housing stock to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above is not just an environmental necessity but also a powerful economic strategy that can deliver multifaceted benefits for society. To support these efforts, we need the Government to implement a consistent policy framework, along with a committed Warm Homes Plan.

In this episode, Baringa's Ellen Fraser hosts a discussion with Tim Meanock, CEO and co-founder of the climate tech company Tallarna, and Daniel Bolton, expert in Home and Transport Decarbonisation at Baringa. The conversation explores Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) as an innovative solution for commercial decarbonisation. The guests explain the mechanics of EaaS models, the financial incentives they provide, and how to develop robust business cases that meet the needs of all stakeholders. They also address risk management for EaaS projects, considering various customer profiles, and offer strategic advice for businesses seeking to decarbonise their operations. About our host: Ellen Fraser, Partner and Expert in Energy and Resources, BaringaChances are, you’ve already met Ellen. When it comes to the energy sector, she’s a trusted expert – a familiar face commenting on the BBC, she’s quoted everywhere from the Financial Times to The Guardian. And at Baringa, one of her big clients is energy regulator Ofgem. Ellen’s talent for decoding a complex industry is her opportunity to not only explain it to others, but to be inside the engine room of change. She’s sat in boardrooms with the CEOs of every major UK energy supplier. And her work with Ofgem cuts to the heart of policy and regulation. Ellen believes even the most difficult situations – like a national energy price crisis – can focus minds on the world’s move towards clean, renewable power. Ellen takes complicated questions and strips them down. She looks for simple, effective solutions. The “so what?” buried in a pile of detail. With this approach, she steers her clients around pitfalls. About our guests: Tim Meanock, CEO and Founder, TallarnaTim is the CEO and Co-founder of Tallarna, a climate tech and finance platform for sustainable impact. He productised the company's end-to-end Energy-as-a-Service offering, originating and structuring strategic partnerships with funders, technology providers, and developers. Prior to this, Tim spent nine years in private equity, gaining deep real estate and financing experience, and has worked within M&A and securitisation.  Daniel Bolton, Expert in Decarbonisation and Low Carbon Technology Commercial Advisory, BaringaDaniel is a low-carbon technology expert committed to advising clients across the energy value chain. He helps energy suppliers, regulators, developers, investors and corporates from various sectors navigate the changing energy landscape to decarbonise their operations and generate value in new energy markets. Stay in touch: Are you on the list? For more insights from our experts, register for our Energy and Resources Briefing here https://www.baringa.com/en/industries/energy-resources/newsletter-er/ You can get in touch with our host and guests using the links below.Ellen Fraser – https://www.baringa.com/en/people/experts/ellen-fraser/Tim Meanock - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-meanock-b911933/Daniel Bolton - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-bolton-ab04995b/  

In this episode Baringa's Ellen Fraser is joined by Faraz Ahmad, Head of Net Zero Grid at Amazon, and Hannah Simmonds, Baringa expert in corporate decarbonisation. They discuss an independent Baringa study commissioned by Amazon to assess the global decarbonisation impact of the corporate sector adopting an emissions first approach, prioritising renewables procurement to where it has the highest grid decarbonisation impact. We discussed the key findings of our study, its relevance and importance to players across the renewable value chain globally, and why Amazon and the Emissions First partnership are advocating for change. About our host:Ellen Fraser, Partner and Expert in Energy and Resources, BaringaChances are, you’ve already met Ellen. When it comes to the energy sector, she’s a trusted expert – a familiar face commenting on the BBC, she’s quoted everywhere from the Financial Times to The Guardian. And at Baringa, one of her big clients is energy regulator Ofgem.Ellen’s talent for decoding a complex industry is her opportunity to not only explain it to others, but to be inside the engine room of change. She’s sat in boardrooms with the CEOs of every major UK energy supplier. And her work with Ofgem cuts to the heart of policy and regulation. Ellen believes even the most difficult situations – like a national energy price crisis – can focus minds on the world’s move towards clean, renewable power.Ellen takes complicated questions and strips them down. She looks for simple, effective solutions. The “so what?” buried in a pile of detail. With this approach, she steers her clients around pitfalls. About our guests:Faraz Ahmad, Head of Net Zero Grid, AmazonFaraz Ahmad is part of Amazon’s Global Clean Energy team, focusing on the Net Zero Electricity strategy to ensure sustainable power for Amazon’s operations. Since Amazon’s Climate Pledge in 2019 to achieve net zero by 2040, the company has become the largest corporate buyer of renewable electricity globally.Previously, Faraz was Head of Strategy and M&A at NextEra Energy, where he significantly increased operating income and led new ventures in home energy optimisation. His extensive experience includes senior roles at General Electric, where he managed strategies in the energy sector across various global markets.Faraz began his career as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and has held engineering roles at British Nuclear Fuels and bp plc. He is a Fellow of the Energy Institute, holds degrees from Cambridge University and MIT, and enjoys martial arts and family time in Houston Hannah Simmonds, Expert in Decarbonisation, Baringa Hannah is dedicated to decarbonising the energy system and creating value for corporates, generators, and suppliers. She advises clients across sectors on corporate decarbonisation strategies for scopes 2 and 3, focusing on PPA strategies, asset investment cases, and energy hedging.Working closely with large energy users like water companies, data centers, airports, and retailers, Hannah helps them credibly reduce their scope 2 emissions while managing rising power demand.Amid the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s consultation on scope 2 emissions reporting and increasing scrutiny of renewable energy claims, businesses are seeking to future-proof their energy strategies. Hannah employs detailed modelling and analytics to guide clients in developing robust renewable energy strategies. She utilizes Baringa’s Corporate Power Solutions tool to assist clients in managing their energy position, risk, PPA evaluation, and energy hedging. Stay in touch: Are you on the list? For more insights from our experts, register for our Energy and Resources Briefing here https://www.baringa.com/en/industries/energy-resources/newsletter-er/  You can get in touch with our host and guests using the links below.  Ellen Fraser – https://www.baringa.com/en/people/experts/ellen-fraser/  Faraz Ahmad – https://www.linkedin.com/in/faraz-ahmad-a001521/  Hannah Simmonds - https://www.baringa.com/en/people/experts/hannah-simmonds/  

 In this episode Baringa’s James Constable and Molly Iliffe are joined by Progressive Energy’s Catherine Wainwright to discuss growing the UK’s hydrogen sector.  Catherine is Commercial Lead for EET ’s low carbon hydrogen project, one of the first large scale, low carbon hydrogen production hubs in the world. She brings over thirty years of industry experience and has been instrumental in the development of the contracts with government that support renewables (“CfDs”), and now the new Hydrogen Business Model – which is the way the government will support Hydrogen production. Molly is Baringa’s global hydrogen expert. She advises clients across the world on hydrogen market strategy and project commercial development. In their discussion on the hydrogen market,  Molly and Catherine discuss hydrogen production, supply chain risks and opportunities, and really what that means for the growth of hydrogen as a sector in the UK. It's a great conversation and we really hope you enjoy it. Are you registered for our monthly Energy and Resources Briefing? Sign up here: https://www.baringa.com/en/industries/energy-resources/newsletter-er/  Get in touch with our guests using the links below to discuss this topic further: Catherine Wainwright:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinewainwright/ Molly Iliffe: https://www.baringa.com/en/people/experts/molly-iliffe/ 

In this episode Baringa’s James Constable and Chris Thackary are joined by SSE Thermal’s Hannah Bronwin. As a director of business development, Hannah is responsible for growth of low-carbon thermal generation, hydrogen production and storage at SSE Thermal. Chris Thackeray is Baringa’s global CCS lead.  Together they discuss the role of low carbon thermal generation in the future UK energy mix and some of the quite significant challenges facing the need for flexible generation as we move ahead with decarbonising the system. Are you on the list? For more insights from our experts, register for our Energy and Resources Briefing here https://www.baringa.com/en/industries/energy-resources/newsletter-er/  You can get in touch with our guests using the links below. https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-bronwin-b79a4a42/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-thackeray-093b1321/ 

 In this episode Baringa’s James Constable and Anne-Laure Mersier are joined by National Grid’s Chief Data Officer, Gavin Goodland. Together they discuss data and digital innovation, including the digital spine. As a technology leader, Gavin talks about his career so far and is role in National Grid.  Are you on the list? For more insights from our experts, register for our Energy and Resources Briefing here https://www.baringa.com/en/industries/energy-resources/newsletter-er/  For more views on the role of digital transformation in the energy transition visit https://www.baringa.com/en/insights/digital-energy-transition/ 

In this episode Baringa's James Constable is joined by Dharmesh Jadavji. Dharmesh has just joined Baringa from the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, where he was lead commercial advisor to the secretary of state and headed up Hydrogen Allocation Round 1. James and Dharmesh discuss the UK's Green Industry Growth Accelerator (GIGA) and green supply chains.Are you on the list? For more insights from our experts, register for our Energy and Resources Briefing here (https://www.baringa.com/en/industries/energy-resources/newsletter-er/?utm_source=energy-innovators&utm_medium=url&utm_campaign=det).  For more views on the role of digital transformation in the energy transition visit Digital Energy Transition (https://www.baringa.com/en/insights/digital-energy-transition/?utm_source=energy-innovators&utm_medium=url&utm_campaign=det). 

In this episode Baringa’s James Constable, Kelly Hume and Silas O’Dea discuss the use cases of AI in the energy transition. They share why AI is not a silver bullet, the need for brilliant basics and key considerations for successful deployment of digital solutions to achieve growth.  Are you on the list? For more insights from our experts, register for our Energy and Resources Briefing here (https://www.baringa.com/en/industries/energy-resources/newsletter-er/?utm_source=energy-innovators&utm_medium=url&utm_campaign=det).  For more views on the role of digital transformation in the energy transition visit Digital Energy Transition (https://www.baringa.com/en/insights/digital-energy-transition/?utm_source=energy-innovators&utm_medium=url&utm_campaign=det). 

In the first episode in our second series Baringa’s James Constable, Nichola Plower and Karim Alnakkash explore key themes in flexibility and the role of digital, building on their experience working together as client and adviser at EDF, and now colleagues at Baringa.  Are you on the list? For more insights from our experts, register for our Energy & Resources Briefing hereFor more views on the role of digital transformation in the energy transition visit Digital Energy Transition | Baringa