The smarter E Podcast

• TSEP #245 Staying home, with smart energy management

  Home may be where the heart is – but it’s also becoming a major player in the energy transition. In this episode of The smarter E Podcast, we explore how smart home energy management systems (HEMS) help households get the most out of distributed energy assets such as rooftop solar, home batteries, EV chargers, and heat pumps – making for lower energy bills, deeper decarbonization, and meaningful support for the wider energy system. Our first guest on this week'a pod, Irene Guerra Gil, Energy Market Expert at gridX, joins host Jonathan Gifford to break down the latest HEMS legislation in Europe and explain the real-world impact these technologies can have. We also turn to the commercial sector, where office buildings represent a huge opportunity for savings. Mark Bruno, CUBE Competition Chief Ambassador and Partner at Ampersand Partners, shares how behavioural change – and a bit of friendly competition – can drive major energy reductions and bring teams together. If you’d like to learn more about the CUBE Competition, you can reach out to Mark directly at [email protected]. Follow The smarter E Podcast for more global insights into the clean energy transition, and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show!

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• TSEP #244 What’s next in PV cell and module tech

  UNSW has played an outsized role in the development of crystalline-silicon solar technology and the modern solar industry. Through its leadership of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), it continues to help shape the future of solar innovation. ACAP brings together leading Australian solar research programs, works across the entire solar value chain, and collaborates closely with major global manufacturers – including industry giants in China. In this episode, UNSW researcher and ACAP Executive Director Professor Renate Egan joins host Jonathan Gifford to share the latest developments in solar research and discuss how technology will continue driving the PV industry in 2026. Follow The smarter E podcast for more global insights into the clean energy transition – and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show!

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• TSEP #243 China’s massive solar market in transition

  Where China goes, so goes the global energy transition. With its dominance across solar and energy storage supply chains, China’s every policy shift ripples through global clean tech markets. In 2025, that landscape is shifting fast: after nearly 200 GW of new solar capacity added early in the year, installations have slowed as the industry adapts to new policies. Meanwhile, manufacturers are facing overcapacity and hunting for new export markets. Frank Haugwitz, Senior Analyst at cleantech advisory Apricum, joins host Jonathan Gifford to break down the latest trends – and what to expect from China’s renewable energy industry through the end of the decade. Follow The smarter E podcast for more global insights into the clean energy transition – and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show!

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• #TSEP 242 Start-Ups as Drivers of Innovation and Change to Expand and Optimise the Grid

  Today, we dive into one of the most exciting areas of the energy transition: the expansion and optimisation of our power grids and the role that startups play in this. There's no question that the big players in the energy industry are important. But more and more often, it's the young, courageous companies that are driving change in the system with fresh ideas, new technologies, and unusual business models. However they need tackle quite a few hurdles on their way. How do start-ups manage to assert themselves in a highly regulated and technically demanding industry? How do they work with grid operators, municipal utilities, or energy suppliers, and where do they encounter resistance? We talk about this with Johan Söderbom, Thematic Leader for Smart Grids and Energy Storage at EIT InnoEnergy. About Johan Söderbom Between 1995 and 2014, Johan worked at the northern European Utility Vattenfall AB in various positions in R&D. From 2014 to 2019, Johan was heading a section at RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) responsible for electrical and optical measurement technology, and he now holds the position of thematic leader for Smart Grids and Energy Storage at EIT InnoEnergy. About INNOENERGY InnoEnergy is industrialising clean tech innovation to enable and grow a global net-zero economy. Active in Europe and the US, the company invests in early-stage start-ups and in the current and future workforce, building resilient clean-tech value chains that drive sustainable economic growth. Through its ecosystem – with 1,400 partners including 39 shareholders spanning industry, finance, public policy, and academia – the company scales the energy transition at speed. Since 2010, InnoEnergy has supported 540+ companies, helping 4 of them grow into industrial unicorns. These companies have raised more than €34 billion to date, created over 47,000 jobs, and are on track to generate €110 billion in revenue and reduce 2.3 gigatons of CO2e by 2030. Currently, InnoEnergy is invested in 160+ start-ups and scale-ups. In support of the EU’s climate and industrial goals, InnoEnergy leads industrial alliances in batteries and solar, and accelerates the uptake of green hydrogen. Pinpointing market gaps, InnoEnergy launches new industrial champions in sectors including batteries, steel, and fertilisers. InnoEnergy was established in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, as one of its first Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC). In 2025, the EIT and InnoEnergy entered into a new partnership, continuing their collaboration on specific projects.

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• #TSEP 241 Mehrfamilienhaus – Mehr Energiewende! Wie Hausgemeinschaften zu einer erneuerbaren Energieversorgung 24/7 beitragen können

  In Deutschland leben über 60 Prozent der Bevölkerung in Mehrfamilienhäusern, so viele wie in kaum einem anderen EU-Land. Rund 3,3 Millionen Mehrfamilienhäuser gibt es hierzulande. Gleichzeitig entfällt rund ein Viertel des gesamten Endenergieverbrauchs in Deutschland auf private Haushalte, 2022 waren es etwa 630 TWh. Das Potenzial von Mehrfamilienhäusern und ihren Bewohnern, einen entscheidenden Beitrag zum Gelingen der Energiewende zu leisten, ist groß. Wie lässt sich dieses Potenzial nutzen? Darüber sprechen wir mit Axel Hoffmann, Marktmanager bei der Haager Vertriebsgesellschaft. Über Axel Hoffmann Axel Hoffmann ist seit 2018 Marktmanager bei der Hager Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG in Blieskastel. Nach dem Wirtschaftsingenieurstudium an der HTW Saar schloss er 2022 den Masterstudiengang Energiemanagement an der Universität Koblenz-Landau ab. Bei Hager ist er Ansprechpartner für Netzbetreiber und Experte für Mieterstrom, Wandleranlagen und die Stromversorgung im Außenbereich. Zudem ist er aktiv an Forschungsprojekten zur Umsetzung von § 14a sowie an Smart-Grid-Anwendungen beteiligt. Über Hager Als inhabergeführtes Familienunternehmen begleitet Hager Projekte vom Schalterkonzept über Energiemanagement- und Raumanschlusssysteme sowie Smart-Home-Lösungen bis hin zur Türkommunikation. Die Unternehmensgeschichte von Hager begann vor 70 Jahren mit innovativen Schaltschränken, die heute immer mehr zu Herz und Hirn von Gebäuden avancieren. Hager denkt Energieverbrauch und -produktion ganzheitlich und bietet sämtliche Komponenten, die es dafür braucht.

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