Plugged In – video podcast

Market design: Driving or derailing the transition?

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July 23, 2026

Europe's electricity system is changing fast. As renewables continue to reshape the power mix, new challenges are emerging; from negative pricing and falling profitability to the increased need for flexibility, storage, long-term investment signals and the growing demands of AI-driven data centres.

In this episode of the Plugged In Summer Series, host Richard speaks with market experts Cillian O'Donoghue of Eurelectric and Fabian Huneke of Agora to explore whether Europe's electricity market design is still fit for purpose.

The discussion examines whether the current market framework is delivering the right incentives for investment, the role of contracts for difference (CFDs) and power purchase agreements (PPAs), the importance of forward market liquidity, and why flexibility (from batteries to demand response) will be critical to keeping the energy transition affordable and secure. The guests also discuss how Europe can accelerate grid development, respond to rising electricity demand from data centres, and ensure market reforms keep pace with a rapidly evolving power system.

Is Europe's market design driving the clean energy transition; or at risk of holding it back?

Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief, Montel News

Guests:

Cillian O'Donoghue, Director, Policy, Eurelectic

Fabian Huneke, Project Lead Energy Transition in the Power Sector, Agora

Producer: Alexandra Carlon

Editor: Alexandra Carlon

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