CERAWeek Podcast with Atul Arya

Green hydrogen is entering a more disciplined phase—where project viability and secured offtake matter more than headline announcements.

In this episode, Kim Hedegaard, CEO of Power-to-X at Topsoe, joins Atul to discuss what it will take to scale clean fuels on commercially sound foundations.

The conversation examines how the sector is shifting toward industrial maturity—where access to competitive power, risk mitigation and capital discipline determine which projects move forward. 

High-temperature electrolysis, offering between 20-30% greater efficiency, compared to other electrolyzer technologies illustrates how technology can improve economics—but bankability will ultimately define the pace of deployment.

Key topics:


Moving from hydrogen hype to commercial discipline
Offtake, risk allocation and project bankability
Efficiency gains in high-temperature electrolysis
Scaling manufacturing to reduce costs
Policy and regulatory drivers shaping demand
This episode builds ahead to CERAWeek 2026, March 23–27, where leaders will examine how technology, capital and policy must align to scale the next phase of the energy transition. Learn more at ceraweek.com

Microsoft has matched 100% of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy—contracting 40 gigawatts across 26 countries.
 
Hanna Grene, Global Go-to-Market and Innovation Leader for Microsoft's Global Energy & Resources Industry, joins Atul to discuss what this milestone signals for the energy sector as AI demand accelerates.
 
The conversation explores how AI is driving performance in the power sector, reshaping grid operations, infrastructure development and business processes—highlighting why energy systems are becoming foundational to digital growth and competitiveness.
 
Key topics:
Microsoft's 40-gigawatt renewable procurement milestone
AI as a strategic input for energy systems and economic growth
AI-driven grid efficiency, reliability and interconnection timelines
Generative AI for permitting and project acceleration
Community-first AI infrastructure and system impacts
Scaling AI across operations, workforce and customer engagement
 
This episode builds up to CERAWeek 2026, where leaders will examine how AI, electricity demand and infrastructure modernization are reshaping the energy system. Learn more at ceraweek.com

Heavy-duty gas turbine demand in the Americas has grown more than six-fold in five years, a clear signal that the power sector is racing to deliver new generation capacity.
 
Bill Newsom, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas, joins Atul Arya to discuss what it takes to build power at speed as electricity demand accelerates. The conversation focuses on execution – how manufacturers, utilities and technology partners are scaling equipment supply, project delivery and infrastructure to meet rising demand while advancing decarbonization.
 
Key topics:

Surging turbine demand and its signal for power markets
Competition for manufacturing capacity and longer equipment lead times
Standardized plant designs and partnerships to accelerate delivery
Faster permitting and policy shifts enabling new infrastructure
Carbon capture and hydrogen pathways supporting lower-carbon power
This episode builds up to CERAWeek 2026, March 23–27, Houston, where leaders will examine how the energy industry is scaling generation capacity, accelerating project delivery, and deploying infrastructure to meet rising electricity demand. Learn more at ceraweek.com

Rising global energy demand, security of supply and long-term investment decisions are shaping the future of the energy system. In this episode, Ashraf Al Ghazzawi, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Corporate Development at Saudi Aramco, joins Atul Arya to discuss these dynamics and their impact on energy markets.

Key topics include:
 
Global demand growth and regional energy disparities
Investments in supply needed to keep pace with resource depletion rates
Energy security through diversity of suppliers
AI's impact on operational efficiencies
Disciplined approaches to lower-carbon investments
 
This episode builds up to CERAWeek 2026, where leaders will examine the intersection of energy security, technology deployment and long-term system resilience. Join the conversation March 23–27, 2026, in Houston. Learn more at ceraweek.com.

Rising electricity demand from AI, data centers, and electrification is reversing decades of flat load growth and reshaping power markets. In this episode, Lawrence Coben, Chair & CEO of NRG Energy, joins Atul to discuss how energy providers are responding to a new era of accelerating demand, tightening capacity and growing infrastructure needs.

The conversation examines how utilities, technology companies and large energy users are adapting—highlighting the growing importance of investment, partnerships and policy frameworks to ensure reliable and affordable power.

Key topics include:
The return of large-scale electricity demand growth after decades of stagnation
Implications for industry, large energy users, and residential customers
Expanding generation capacity, modernizing the grid, and virtual power plant solutions
Collaboration across utilities, hyperscalers, and technology partners
Policy and permitting reform as critical enablers of new energy infrastructure
This episode builds up to CERAWeek 2026, where leaders will examine the convergence of demand growth, infrastructure investment and system resilience. Join the conversation March 23–27, 2026, in Houston. Learn more at ceraweek.com