EnergyREV Podcasts

Recently, we brought you edited highlights from a live panel discussion held in Edinburgh, entitled Countdown to the General Election: Scotland’s next steps to net-zero. This episode is the panel discussion in full, including 10 minutes of opening remarks from Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee, and over an hour of indepth…

Matt and Fraser welcome Nick Lyth, Founder of Green Angel Ventures, and Stephen Hall, Head of Awards at Ashden. The Ashden Awards are given to organisations and businesses that deliver local, sustainable energy schemes with social, economic and environmental benefits - and this year, Fraser was involved in deciding the winners. https://www.carbonbr…

A different episode format for you this time round - Matt and Fraser dissect the key highlights from a recent live panel discussion in Edinburgh, titled Countdown to the General Election: Scotland’s next steps to net-zero. The next general election is widely expected to take place during 2024. Political parties are already spending significant time…

In 2022, Swaffham Prior, a village in East Cambridgeshire, became the first village to develop a rural heat network. Before welcoming Emma Flether, who worked on this project and is now Low Carbon Homes Director at Octopus Energy, Becky and Fraser discuss what we can expect from fuel bills this winter, in the midst of plummeting UK temperatures.…

Fraser is back, just in time to discuss the recent party conferences - before the team welcome Rachel Mills from Citizens Advice, and Mairi Brookes from Low Carbon Hub, to discuss how soon we can make our homes smarter and faster.By EnergyREV

In 2021, Scottish Government committed to making four Scottish Islands Carbon Neutral by 2040. This was increased to six islands following COP26. The ‘lucky six’ islands selected were Barra, Great Cumbrae, Hoy, Islay, Raasay and Yell – and, to quote the Scottish Government, this would ‘lay the foundations for future action relevant for all other is…

Matt and Becky reveal some very exciting news from the Local Zero team (!) before discussing the logistics of the school commute - and then welcome Camille Warrington from the Shawlands Bike Bus to discuss this movement in more detail.By EnergyREV

How is it August already?!... As the summer holidays come to an end, Matt, Becky and Fraser are joined by Local Zero icon Dr Jeff Hardy to discuss both their personal and broader highlights and lowlights of the year so far.By EnergyREV

We can’t live without water, but who controls the supply, and who looks after it, has been a highly debated and contentious issue in the UK, particularly in recent years. Matt, Becky and Fraser catch up on a hefty week of climate-related headlines before welcoming Hugo Tagholm, formerly of Surfers Against Sewage, and now executive director and vice…

Why is place-based work so important? For the 75th (!) episode of Local Zero, Becky and a rain-battered Fraser are joined by Naomi Luhde-Thompson, leader of Rights Community Action, to discuss how we can work with communities, not for them. www.rightscommunityaction.co.ukBy EnergyREV

How can we utilise our garden spaces, balconies, window boxes and/or pots to benefit the environment? Matt, Fraser and Becky catch up on all things summer, and discuss their own gardening skills before being joined by Kate Bradbury, an award-winning author and journalist, who specialises in wildlife gardening.…

What actions could usefully be taken to ensure these projects empower and enrich communities? In the fourth and final episode of our Carbon Offsetting for Communities mini-series, we explore how projects associated with nature-based carbon offsetting positively and negatively impact communities.By EnergyREV

How are these carbon offsetting schemes financed and governed, and who actually owns these projects? The third and penultimate episode in our Community Carbon Offsetting mini series features many different voices and perspectives from the event held at the University of Strathclyde in March 2023. Consider this a deep dive into the world of nature b…

The UK music industry contributes billions of pounds to the economy every year, but just how carbon intensive is streaming and touring? Becky and Matt are joined for a fascinating discussion by Lewis Jamieson from Music Declares Emergency, and Carly McLachlan and Christopher Jones from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.…

Becky and Fraser double as both co-hosts AND expert guests this time - updating Matt on a major local and community energy project they've been running for the Scottish Government, as part of their work at Regen. The team talk about how and why local and community energy can support a fairer transition to net zero. We also hear insights from a 'Peo…

How do our social relations with other people and places influence decisions about domestic energy retrofit? Becky and Matt reunite at the University of Strathclyde to speak with Professors Lucie Middlemiss and Mark Davis from the University of Leeds, and hear separate case studies from Iain Cairns, Ruth Bookbinder and Giulia Mininni.…

How do we frame, evaluate and facilitate community benefit from voluntary nature-based carbon offset projects? The second episode from our Community Carbon Offsetting mini seires is a live recorded Q&A session featuring Hamish Trench, CEO of the Scottish Land Commission, Sarah Nicholas, Carbon Projects Manager at Forestry and Land Scotland, and Ail…

In March, Matt hosted the Community Carbon Offsetting conference at the Unversity of Strathclyde, which formed a fascinating gathering of people to discuss how land use and ownership is changing across rural Scotland in response to the booming carbon offset market. This mini series will showcase highlights from the conference - the first of which i…

Edinburgh is both prosperous and wealthy - but also has unique and complex issues to tackle when it comes to reaching their ambitious Net Zero targets. This episode is a deep dive into Scotland's capital city, featuring Councillor Cammy Day, Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, Bridie Ashrowan, Chief Executive of EVOC (Edinburgh Voluntary Organ…

What role do energy network operators - or DNOs - have in developing smart local energy systems? Becky - along with guest co-host Dr Jeff Hardy - lead an EnergyREV panel discussion with: Maxine Frerk, director at Grid Edge Policy Adam Bell, head of policy at Stonehaven Melanie Bryce, SSEN Oxfordshire programme director on Project LEO (Local Energy …

What is the role of energy-smart places and smart local energy approaches in securing a just transition? In this Local Zero Live, recorded at EnergyREV's final summit in central London, Becky and Fraser welcome a panel of guests to explore how tech innovations and energy policy can work fairly, and for citizens and communities. Guests in this episo…

Fraser has finally completed his PhD ... but what was it about? This episode is dedicated to the themes of Fraser's thesis, exploring social inequalities in uptake of low carbon technologies like solar pv and heat pumps, and uncovers ways to rectify those inequalities at local and community levels. Congratulations Fraser! Some elements of Fraser's …

Concluding our four-part mini-series focusing on the work of Innovate UK's Prospering From the Energy Revolution (PFER) Programme, Matt and Fraser chat with Eva Goudouneix from Repowering London and Jamie Rea from the Electric Storage Company. This week: how to engage the public with energy projects and technology.…

This penultimate instalment of our month-long Prospering from the Energy Revolution (PFER) series focuses on Skills and the Supply Chain. Matt, Becky and Fraser chat acronyms, and a personal experience of issues faced by those trying to find work in the energy sector, before being joined by Louise Alter from Equans and Melanie Bryce from SSEN.…

This February, the Local Zero team are bringing you weekly podcasts focused on the work of the Prospering from the Energy Revolution (PFER) funding innovation. This week the focus is on finance. Joining us for the second of these special episodes are Cheryl Hiles, Director of Energy Capital (West Midlands Combined Authority) and Tim Rose, Programme…

This February, the Local Zero team are bringing you a new podcast every single week! These special episodes are all focused on the work of the Prospering from the Energy Revolution (PFER) innovation funding. First up, a focus on policy and regulation to unleash smart, local energy systems (SLES). This one features Chris Dunham from Carbon Descent, …

How well do our local councils perform when it comes to tackling the climate crisis? One not-for-profit organisation - Climate Emergency UK - makes it its business to rate and measure the performance and progress of local authorities, with their innovative Council Climate Action Scorecards. For our first episode of 2023, Becky and Matt are joined b…

Joining the usual team for a look back at 2022 in energy (with festive drinks and mince pies in hand) are Strathclyde University's Dr Jen Roberts and Manish Joshi. Together, they unpack an eventful (!) year, discuss key learning points from the energy crisis, and look for reasons to be cheerful. There is also the long-awaited return of Future or Fi…

How are communities benefitting financially from commercial suppliers paying them for playing host to wind farms? Matt chats to Ian Leaver, Chief Officer of Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Company, and SSE Renewables' Lindsay Dougan, to explore the benefits of these schemes, using Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston as an example.…

Scottish Power's Robin Cathcart and Owen Black on the company's role in helping Scotland and the UK to decarbonise. Scottish Power is part of the Iberdrola Group, which recently announced a target to be net zero in all scopes by 2040 - 10 years sooner than had been previously aimed for.By EnergyREV

Are there reasons to be cheerful about climate change? What are the most data-driven changes we can make to really move the dial on carbon emissions? Dr Hannah Ritchie is Head of Research at Our World In Data, an online platform hosted by Oxford University which aims to 'make progress against the world’s largest problems'. Matt speaks with Hannah a…

A year since Glasgow hosted COP26, the team reflect on the event's legacy for the city, and particularly for Strathclyde University. Matt, Becky and Fraser are joined by Dr Roddy Yarr, Strathclyde's Executive Lead for Sustainability, and Manish Joshi, CEO of the Students Union.By EnergyREV

Ahead of COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Matt and Becky are joined by Professor Jim Skea, Co-Chair of Working Group III of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change) to discuss the benefits, practicalities and obstacles standing in the way of a just transition. Jim is also a Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College, and Chair of Sco…

With the energy crisis showing no signs of slowing, and UK government policy changing and changing again seemingly by the hour, we return to the pressing issue of fuel poverty. Joining Matt and Fraser are Jessica Cook from National Energy Action (NEA) and Aimee Ambrose, Professor of Energy Policy at Sheffield Hallam University.…

Can a smart-meter really change your life? This is the fiftieth full-length episode of Local Zero - Matt, Becky and Fraser reflect on being half a century old, EVs, and the recent energy cap announcement -- before being joined by guest Jeremy Yapp. Jeremy is Head of Flexible Energy Systems at BEAMA (the UK Trade Association for Manufacturers and Pr…

Recorded at EnergyREV's central London summit on smart local energy, the team explore what a smarter, more local energy system might look like, and how it could drive the push to net zero and tackle the energy crisis. Matt and Becky are joined by EnergyREV's Rob Saunders, Teodora Kaneva from Tech UK, UK100's Karen Barrass, and Professor Jeff Hardy,…

Disabled people and their households are among those most likely to be impacted by the energy crisis and associated rise in living costs. Until now, impacts on disabled consumers seem all too often to have been overlooked by both policy makers and media. For this special episode, the team are joined by Gemma Hope, director of policy at Leonard Ches…

The Local Electricity Bill could - if enacted - open up local supply of electricity to nearby communities. Supporters claim it could bring to market some of the most affordable forms of renewable power, like onshore wind and solar. The bill has support from around 300 MPs, and is currently moving through the Westminster parliament. Fraser, Matt and…

The UK Government has committed to installing 50GW of offshore wind energy by 2030. What are the impacts of offshore wind on communities, and how can we ensure they benefit? Fraser, Becky and (newly minted Professor!) Matt are joined by Grace Millman, Energy Analyst at Regen, and Dr Claire Haggett, Senior Lecturer of Sustainability at the Universit…

As many of us gear up for a summer break, often jetting off to the sun, just how culpable are flight emissions in the context of the climate emergency? Who is most responsible? And is guilt-free flying ever likely to be possible? Joining the LZ team for this chat are Anna Hughes, CEO of Flight Free UK, and Abhilasha Fullonton, a Research Associate …

How can we shift our demand for energy in the home, perhaps by shaping and flexing our domestic routines to match periods of peak 'clean' energy production? Does our relationship with technology have to change in order to reduce demand and therefore cut emissions? This episode continues our focus on the role of demand in delivering net zero - speci…

What is the impact of our own behaviours and attitudes, as households and consumers, on carbon emissions? The latest IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report contains, for the first time ever, a chapter specifically focusing on how the choices we each make impact emissions. To discuss this, the team are joined by Professor Lorraine W…

The phenomenon of so-called 'Green Lairds' buying up land for carbon offsetting is increasingly a phenomenon that Scotland is having to reckon with. Magnus Davidson from the University of the Highlands and Islands, who is also a board member of Community Land Scotland, joins Matt and Fraser to review a recent panel event held jointly between the Un…

How to reconcile natural capital, net-zero and just transition priorities? In this unedited recording, an expert panel discuss the trends for large-scale land purchases for carbon offsetting in Scotland. What is driving these trends, and what the future holds? The discussion was a joint event between the University of Edinburgh's Business School an…

Making homes both more sustainable and more affordable: these are two of the most pressing challenges facing society today. In this episode, the team explore solutions presented by community-led cohousing, and community-owned micro-grid energy. In particular, we look at what exciting possibilities can be unlocked when both systems can be integrated…

As the energy crisis bites and price cap rises against a backdrop of climate change, energy advocacy services are becoming crucial to supporting people in need, and local net zero action. In this episode we ask: what is the role of energy advocacy services? What issues are they facing, and how can they support a fair and just net-zero transition fo…

Climate action can deliver a huge variety of co-benefits, alongside carbon reduction: improving health from active travel, reducing fuel poverty through better insulation, and creating better jobs and more resilient communities, to name just a few. Matt and Becky are joined by PwC's Dom Boyle, to discuss how keeping it local can accelerate net zero…

Cutting carbon from future infrastructure projects is a massive and costly long-term challenge. It is also a critical part of the path to net zero. So how can bridges, roads, hospitals, power stations, railway networks, and all the big-ticket items we rely on for the proper functioning of our society and economy be decarbonised? Becky and Matt are …

Radical changes are needed to our infrastructure if we want to deliver a Just Energy Transition and meet our net-zero goals. But it’s not that simple. Matt and Becky are joined by Dr Jo Patterson to discuss the stagnant costs of clean heating and making our homes more energy efficient. The incentive is just not there for most homeowners, our financ…

Community-led energy projects offer a way forward as energy bills spiral and carbon emissions need to be cut. However, community energy in the UK is struggling. How can government unleash its potential? Matt and Becky are joined by experts Kayla Ente, Founder of Brighton & Hove Energy Services Co-operative and Nigel Cornwall, Director at Hydrogen E…