Michael Liebreich

So this is a whole new dimension that is coming.

Hello, I'm Michael Liebreich, and this is Cleaning Up.

Today, I'm delighted to introduce a new guest host to the show, Anna Rovzar, Chief of Staff at the Global Renewables Alliance.

Anna is based in Brussels and will be helping out hosting episodes across Europe, except for today's episode, which she filmed on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

It's striking because you give very concrete examples of the multiple dimensions of energy security, or the way that decentralized renewable energy solutions, as you've just said, that you're working on very hard in Ukraine, can provide energy security at large, but also really on the day-to-day, to be able to, against drones attacks, all the way to just providing basic needs, hospitals, schools, as you mentioned.

I want to take us back, let's say four years ago, Because we had your predecessor on the show.

Michael Liebreich had your predecessor on the show, Akim Steiner.

This was February 23, episode 118, in case someone wants to go and watch that again.

Russia has unleashed what Ukraine says is its largest attack on the country's energy infrastructure since spring.

[instrumental music] Hello, I'm Michael Liebreich, and this is Cleaning Up.

I'm in Kyiv.

It's been just over four and a half years since Russia unleashed its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and I'm here to find out what is happening on the ground.

There can't be 60 ideas that are all, and certainly some of them strike me as, I don't know anybody who's fraudulent, but I do know people who I think are over-egging what they have.

Hello, I'm Michael Liebreich and this is Cleaning Up.

We're filming this episode in front of a live audience on the opening morning of Climate Week in New York.

There's an old joke that fusion energy is 30 years away and always will be.

[upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to the Everything Electric podcast.

This week I had great fun talking to Michael Liebreich, who pretty much has the status of friend of the podcast now, I think.

He was on, uh, the Fully Charged show as it was back in 2020 and 2021 talking to Robert, and he'll be known to you.

He's the chairman of Liebreich Associates.

Anyway, so left me feeling good.

I hope it leaves you feeling the same.

Please welcome to the podcast Michael Liebreich.

Thank you so much, Michael, for joining us on the Everything Electric podcast.

I should say, by the way, if you were making these arguments 10 years ago, that was very farsighted.

Well, Michael Liebreich was quick to join me, so I had that company anyway.

[laughs]

Yeah, it's very impressive 'cause I remember even six or seven years ago trying to make arguments like this and just being really quite uncertain because there were many, many counterarguments at the time where we weren't clear.

And that's someone who is running an organization that is in charge of regulating the energy system, which to me says we haven't had enough conversation about this very topic.

Hello, I'm Michael Liebreich, and this is Cleaning Up.

Energy discussions can seem to be dominated by engineers presenting technical solutions, politicians talking in generalisations, lawyers and consultants having a field day, regulators left doing their best to keep the lights on, and investors refusing to put money to work unless they receive guaranteed returns.

Regular listeners will have heard me talking about the importance of systems thinking to break this logjam.

And it now has a stellar cast of people guiding it forward.

And they include an advisory council that includes former Australian chief scientist Alan Finkel, international energy expert Michael Liebreich, and former UK Minister for Energy and Clean Growth Claire O'Neill.

Stellating.

Yeah, as you say, a stellar leadership team.