Host: Cait Hewitt, Policy and Engagement Officer, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London

Guests:

• Dr. Jan Rosenow: Director of European Programmes, Regulatory Assistance Project
• Max Waddingham: Senior Heating Design Engineer, Good Energy

In This Episode:

• What are heat pumps, and how do they work?
• The challenges and opportunities in rolling out heat pump technology.
• Policies needed to make heat pumps a mainstream choice.
• The role of public attitudes, skilled installers, and trusted brands in driving adoption.

Guest Bios:

• Dr. Jan Rosenow: With decades of experience in energy policy, Dr. Rosenow shares insights into the global transition to clean energy and the potential of heat pumps to transform home heating.
• Max Waddingham: A hands-on expert in heat pump installations, Max discusses real-world challenges and solutions for making heat pumps accessible to everyone.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Energy Futures Podcast
• 00:01:01 - Meet the Guests: Dr. Jan Rosenow & Max Waddingham
• 00:03:16 - Why Heat Pumps Matter for Decarbonisation
• 00:06:18 - How Heat Pumps Work: Science and Efficiency
• 00:13:31 - Overcoming Barriers: Cost, Skills, and Public Perception
• 00:20:22 - Policies to Drive Heat Pump Adoption
• 00:30:13 - Public Attitudes and Misconceptions about Heat Pumps
• 00:39:20 - Trusted Messengers: Installers and Brand Confidence
• 00:44:02 - Future Research: Heat Pumps and Grid Flexibility
• 00:45:31 - Closing Thoughts and Where to Learn More

Cait’s links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cait-hewitt-2482a3195/

Grantham Institute: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/grantham/

Jan’s Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janrosenow/

Website: https://www.janrosenow.com/index.html

RAP: https://www.raponline.org/

Recent paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225000434

Blue Sky:

In this episode of the Energy Futures Podcast, Imperial PhD student Fater Akuhwa sits down with Professor Tim Green to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of energy systems, with a focus on grid co-design and the integration of renewable energy.

Professor Green, an expert in electrical and electronic engineering, shares his insights on the concept of grid forming and grid following, two key approaches in the regulation of frequency, voltage, and system stability without the traditional synchronous generators that have long been essential for grid stability.

Professor Green also discusses his pivotal role in leading Imperial College’s sustainability strategy and the challenges associated with shifting to a low-carbon university campus and supply chain.Key Topics Discussed:

• The challenges of grid stability and system services in the absence of synchronous generators
• The roles of grid forming and grid following in modern grids
• The sustainability strategy at Imperial College London
• Insights on data-led stability analysis for inverter-dominated grids
• The future of energy systems and the integration of variable renewable energy sources

Additional Links

Professor Green Imperial profile

https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/t.green

For more information on Professor Tim Green's work, visit: Sustainable Imperial

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/sustainability/

Paper Revisiting grid-forming and grid-following inverters: A duality theory

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=PWvm-uEAAAAJ&citation_for_view=PWvm-uEAAAAJ:q1zXlPLtbUIC

Fater Akuhwa Imperial Profile

https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/f.akuhwa22

In this episode of the Energy Futures Podcast, we sit down with Richard Black, Director of Policy and Strategy at Ember, to explore the future of energy, the zero-carbon transition, and his career in climate journalism and policy. Richard shares insights from his newly released book, The Future of Energy, offering an optimistic view of the clean energy revolution and the challenges ahead.

Highlights include:

• The role of think tanks like Ember in shaping global energy policy
• The importance of clear communication in the energy transition
• Reflections on the evolution of climate policy and the rise of global clean energy movements
• Richard’s journey from BBC science correspondent to energy policy expert
• Key takeaways from his book The Future of Energy and its vision for a sustainable energy future

Links:

• Ember: Global Clean Energy Think-Tank
• Richard Black on Linkedin
• Richard Black’s Book: The Future of Energy
• Richard Black’s Previous Book: Denied: The Rise and Fall of Climate Contrarianism

• Energy Futures Lab Website
• Energy Futures Podcast YouTube Channel
• Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts