The EU Energy Projects Podcast

Ports are key hubs in the energy transition, at the heart of countries’ economies and with diverse energy users from heavy, energy intensive industries to small businesses and multiple transport types. In this episode, Areti Ntaradimou speaks with Ivan Jimenez, President of the Port Authority of Bilbao about the BilbOPS project — a €115 million EU-backed initiative aiming to fully electrify the port by 2027, well ahead of regulatory deadlines, through a collaborative clean energy-sharing model.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast Areti Ntaradimou is joined by Christos Christodoulou, coordinator of CABLEGNOSIS, a project developing next-generation power cable technologies to support Europe’s clean energy transition. From advanced materials to AI-based diagnostics, CABLEGNOSIS is helping build the reliable, renewable-ready grid that Europe needs for 2030 and beyond.

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, Areti Ntaradimou had the pleasure of welcoming Mohaddeseh Maktabifard and José Luis Corrales Ciganda, both representing the inspiring 2Cool2Waste cluster; an initiative uniting EU-funded projects that transform waste heat from an overlooked by-product into a practical, clean-energy resource. The discussion opened with Maktabifard briefly explaining what SEEDS, the project she coordinates, is about. Her description was a reminder of how much innovation is happening behind the scenes in our buildings. SEEDS pilots smart, cost-effective electrification solutions - hybrid heat pumps, building-integrated PV, advanced thermal and battery storage - across six European sites. José Luis then introduced the two projects he represents: SynergyNet, which develops tools to optimise multi-energy systems, and Rewire, which focuses on thermally driven cooling technologies using waste or renewable heat. Hearing him describe the project’s progress, from preliminary sector analysis to detailed engineering at four demo sites, made the scale and complexity of these solutions feel very real.

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.

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.