Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The world's electricity system is transforming: We're integrating more and more variable renewables. Fossil plants are running fewer hours. Demand is growing everywhere, including in the developed world, as we electrify transport and heating, and AI data centers elbow their way onto the grid.
Some people find this very threatening but not Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of ContourGlobal. CounterGlobal is a leading independent power producer who is well on their way to transition away from coal to electricity production based on renewables and gas.
Antonio joins Michael on Cleaning Up to discuss how to build resilience and security in renewable-dominated grids, how ContourGlobal's battery storage systems are delivering solar at night, and why grids around the world are struggling to cope as electricity demand rises.
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.
Discover More:
• ContourGlobal's website: contourglobal.com
• youtube.com/watch?v=a_LnZz09Cwk
• youtube.com/watch?v=dUvKzs82Mi0
• youtube.com/watch?v=UtsCCJ4o1WA
• youtube.com/watch?v=OwZ2iNh133A
• Decarbonizing the last few percent: mliebreich.substack.com/p/decarbonizing-the-last-few-percent
• Lessons from Spain: mliebreich.substack.com/p/lessons-from-spain
Chapters:
00:00 - Coming Up
00:51 - Introduction
04:24 - ContourGlobal
08:30 - Transition From Coal
11:20 - Should You Sell Coal Assets?
15:07 - The Role of Gas
20:20 - The Cost of Decarbonisation
23:30 - Getting to 90% Renewables
25:50 - Lessons from Spanish Blackout
29:00 - Renewables are Becoming the Backbone
31:00 - Batteries for Resilience
34:40 - Are Renewables Really Cheap?
40:31 - Increasing Resilience
46:00 - Is AI Wasting Electricity?
50:30 - Dunkelflaute & Storage
53:00 - Electrolysers
56:30 - Africa
58:47 - Methane From Lake Kivu
01:01:30 - Energy in 7 Years Time
01:05:10 - Outro
The world's electricity system is transforming: We're integrating more and more variable renewables. Fossil plants are running fewer hours. Demand is growing everywhere, including in the developed world, as we electrify transport and heating, and AI data centers elbow their way onto the grid.
Some people find this very threatening but not Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of ContourGlobal. CounterGlobal is a leading independent power producer who is well on their way to transition away from coal to electricity production based on renewables and gas.
Antonio joins Michael on Cleaning Up to discuss how to build resilience and security in renewable-dominated grids, how ContourGlobal's battery storage systems are delivering solar at night, and why grids around the world are struggling to cope as electricity demand rises.
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.
Discover More:
• ContourGlobal's website: contourglobal.com
• youtube.com/watch?v=a_LnZz09Cwk
• youtube.com/watch?v=dUvKzs82Mi0
• youtube.com/watch?v=UtsCCJ4o1WA
• youtube.com/watch?v=OwZ2iNh133A
• Decarbonizing the last few percent: mliebreich.substack.com/p/decarbonizing-the-last-few-percent
• Lessons from Spain: mliebreich.substack.com/p/lessons-from-spain
Chapters:
00:00 - Coming Up
00:51 - Introduction
04:24 - ContourGlobal
08:30 - Transition From Coal
11:20 - Should You Sell Coal Assets?
15:07 - The Role of Gas
20:20 - The Cost of Decarbonisation
23:30 - Getting to 90% Renewables
25:50 - Lessons from Spanish Blackout
29:00 - Renewables are Becoming the Backbone
31:00 - Batteries for Resilience
34:40 - Are Renewables Really Cheap?
40:31 - Increasing Resilience
46:00 - Is AI Wasting Electricity?
50:30 - Dunkelflaute & Storage
53:00 - Electrolysers
56:30 - Africa
58:47 - Methane From Lake Kivu
01:01:30 - Energy in 7 Years Time
01:05:10 - Outro
