From noisy myths to quiet revolutions: Heat pumps are transforming home heating in the UK. Curious how? Tune into this deep-dive with experts from Imperial College.

Host

Dr Anastasiya Ostrovnaya - Senior Research & Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Climate Finance & Investment

Guest 

Matt Lipson – Deputy Director at Undaunted, Imperial

Today's Topics

• Challenges the ‘heat pump’ industry face in line with Net Zero targets.
• Government policies on Heat pumps
• Initiatives, new technologies and installations in UK homes
• And the driving force behind the market

Timecode Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the Energy Futures Podcast

01:10 - Meet the Host and Guest: Anastasia Ostrovnaya & Matt Lipson

02:30 - Why Heat Pumps Matter for Net Zero

04:15 - Comparing UK and Norway: Adoption Challenges

06:00 - Government Subsidies and Public Awareness

08:00 - Electricity vs Gas Prices in the UK

10:00 - Heat Pump Efficiency Explained (COP & SCOP)

13:00 - System Design and Installation Quality

15:30 - Electricity Pricing and Smart Usage

17:45 - Scaling Up: Installer Shortages and Training

20:00 - Comfort Concerns in Older Homes

22:30 - Upfront Costs vs Running Costs

25:00 - Innovations in Heat Pump Technology

27:30 - Planning Rules and Noise Concerns

29:30 - Market Drivers: Startups vs Big Utilities

32:00 - Role of Finance and Mortgages

34:30 - EPC Ratings and Policy Misalignment

37:00 - Landlords and the Rental Market Challenge

39:30 - Ground Source Heat Pumps and New Builds

42:00 - Government Regulation and Developer Incentives

44:00 - Fuel Poverty and Warm Home Prescriptions

46:30 - Supporting Innovation and Startups

48:00 - Will the UK Meet Its Heat Pump Targets?

49:30 - Closing Thoughts

Anastasiya’s links:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aostrovnaya/

Imperial profile link - https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/a.ostrovnaya

Matt’s links:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-lipson-20baab/

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarie-van-basten-b4289a17/

Additional Links

Get in touch if you have an innovative idea for solving the challenges with getting heat pumps installed by everyone;

Undaunted Link - https://undaunted-hq.org/contact/.

Find out more about the cool new heat pump tech developed by Anzen here: Anzen Link - https://www.anzenwalls.co.uk/

Find answers to any of your heat pump questions on Heat Geek's YouTube channel. - https://www.youtube.com/HeatGeek

Open Energy Monitor link - https://openenergymonitor.org/

There's no need to fully insulate your home for heat pumps to operate at very high efficiency according to;

University of Oxford, link - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/janrosenow_new-paper-why-the-fabric-first-dogma-is-activity-7141426267156840448-9Cok?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

University College London, link - https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10.5334/bc.388

Nesta, link - https://www.nesta.org.uk/report/insulation-impact-how-much-do-uk-houses-really-need/

Energy Systems Catapult, link - https://es.catapult.org.uk/news/electrification-of-heat-trial-finds-heat-pumps-suitable-for-all-housing-types/

Green Alliance, link - https://green-alliance.org.uk/briefing/decarbonising-heat-while-addressing-fuel-poverty/

Government consultation on new standards for private landlords in this link -...

In order to transform the UK’s transport system into a fully electric one, government have to identify key areas of infrastructure that need support and investment.

Do they run the risk of failure when large scale decisions are not backed by analysis?

Host

Edoardo Taricco, a mechanical engineer and graduate of the MSc in sustainable energy futures from Imperial

Guests

Mats Larson, a business Management Consultant with 30-years experience in developing company strategy. He has worked with large-scale transformation to electromobility and sustainability. His work has resulted in five internationally published books.

Topics Discussed

• What is needed to develop the UK and the EU electromobility systems.
• Society and government’s thought process leading to unachievable targets. - The need for identifying key risks and investing in infrastructure.
• Electromobility in developing countries.

Timecode & Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the Energy Futures Podcast

00:42 - Meet the Host and Guest: Eduardo Taricco & Mats Larsson

02:15 - Mats Larsson’s Background and Work on Electromobility

04:30 - What is Hyper Think? Understanding the Concept

07:45 - Risks of Hyper Think in Policy and Decision-Making

11:10 - Historical Examples of Successful System Change

14:20 - The Role of Competition in Driving Innovation

17:00 - Infrastructure Challenges in Electromobility

20:35 - Lessons from China’s Strategic Electrification

24:10 - Underestimating Electricity Demand in Europe

27:30 - The Problem with Unrealistic Policy Targets

30:50 - Root Causes of Hyper Think in Politics and Society

34:00 - Institutions and the Need for New Collaborative Models

37:20 - The Skills Gap: From Mechanical to Electrical Competence

40:00 - Government Mechanisms to Coordinate System Change

43:15 - External Factors That Could Shift the Dynamics

46:30 - Electromobility in Developing Countries

50:00 - The Need to Focus on Scalable, Proven Solutions

53:10 - Strategic Planning: Electrification Architects & Strategists

56:00 - What Gives Hope for the Future of Electromobility

58:00 - Closing Remarks and Where to Find the Book

59:00 - Outro and Energy Futures Lab Info

Edoardo's Link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/edoardo-taricco-9a77a2205/

Mats' link

https://www.getinstitute.com/about

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarie-van-basten-b4289a17/

Additional Links

• GET Institute Link - https://www.getinstitute.com/
• Mat's new book ' How building the future really works' - https://www.getinstitute.com/electromobilitytransformationhandbook

What alternative energy storage technologies are there to replace batteries, and can these technologies hold up to the growing demand for green energy?

Host

• Dr. Nadine Moustafa, Research Associate at Imperial, specialising in carbon management and decarbonisation technologies.

Guests

• Dr. Matthias Mersch - Research associate in the Clean Energy Processes Lab at Imperial College.
• Dr Alexandra Welp – Mechanical Engineer, research assistant and PhD student at the University of Duisburg-Essen. She is currently a visiting researcher at Imperial college focusing on thermodynamic storage solution technologies.

Topics Discussed 

• New Technologies that exist outside of batteries, and the efforts research and industry are making towards decarbonization.
• Differences between Industrial and Domestic energy storage and the challenges each type of technology brings.
• Developing trends in the energy storage field.

Timestamps & Chapters

[00:51] Host and guest introductions: Dr Nadine Mustafa, Alexandra Welp, and Matthias Mirch

[01:45] Domestic vs. industrial energy storage overview

[02:33] Pumped thermal energy storage and systems thinking

[04:33] Thermal and mechanical energy storage explained

[04:45] Pumped hydro and gravitational energy storage

[05:21] Chemical energy storage and district heating

[07:27] Systems thinking and thermal integration basics

[15:09] Residential and industrial applications of thermal storage

[16:51] High-temperature industrial heat challenges

[18:03] Sector-specific challenges and mechanical/chemical storage

[18:45] Deep dive into chemical energy storage

[21:51] Mechanical and gravitational innovations

[23:21] Thermo-mechanical and compressed air energy storage

[25:39] Liquid air and hybrid storage technologies

[32:21] Policy, public acceptance, and future trends

Nadine's links:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-moustafa-ph-d-5831a1a7/

Imperial profile - https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/n.mou...

Matthias' links:

LinkedIn link - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthias-mersch-ph-d-698634146/

Imperial Profile link - https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/m.mersch

Alexandra's link

LinkedIn link - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-welp-0b7ab524a/

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

Annemarie Van Basten | LinkedIn

Additional Links 

Clean Energy Processes Lab Imperial link:

Could Satellites Power Our Cities? Discover the Future of Energy.

Today’s episode of Energy Futures Podcast, we explore the exciting world of space-based energy.

Topics Discussed;

• Space-based solar power as an era defining new source of clean energy
• The manufacturing, testing and longevity of satellite technologies, and
• Financing space-based solar power

Host

Edoardo Taricco - mechanical engineer graduate of the MSc in sustainable energy futures from Imperial.

Guest 

Martin Soltau - Co founder and Co-CEO of Space Solar, a leading start-up in the revolutionary sector of Space-Based Solar Power.

Timecode & Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Space-Based Solar Power

01:30 Guest Introduction: Martin Soltau

03:00 Background and Formation of Space Solar

05:00 Technology Overview: Cassiopeia Design

07:30 Continuous Power and Beam Steering

10:00 Comparison with Other Satellite Designs

12:30 Energy Conversion and Grid Integration

15:00 Modularity and Assembly in Space

17:30 Value Chain and Partnerships

20:00 Elon Musk's Critique and Industry Response

22:30 Energy System Modeling and Economics

25:00 Funding and Investment Landscape

27:30 Solar Cell Technologies and Sustainability

30:00 Receiver Design and Land Use

32:30 Global Distribution and Governance

35:00 International Efforts and Government Programs

37:30 Technical Differences in Global Designs

40:00 Space Solar's Office and Demonstrators

42:30 Company Strategy and Public Engagement

45:00 Roadmap to Deployment

47:30 UK Government Support and Policy Challenges

50:00 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

Edoardo's links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edoardo-taricco-9a77a2205/

Martin’s Links  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-soltau-44596619/

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarie-van-basten-b4289a17/

Additional Links 

Space Solar link - https://www.spacesolar.co.uk/

Frazer-Nash Consultancy Link - https://www.fnc.co.uk/

Blue Origin Link - https://www.blueorigin.com/

SpaceX link - https://www.spacex.com/

MDA Space link - https://mda.space/

Professor Paul Mitcheson, Imperial Link - https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/paul.mitcheson/about

Professor Goran Strbac, Imperial link - https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/g.strbac

Aethurflux link - https://www.aetherflux.com/

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) link - https://www.darpa.mil/

Oxford Space Systems link - https://oxford.space/

Sustainable Markets Initiative link - https://www.sustainable-markets.org/

Tech Nation Future Fifty link - https://technation.io/programmes/future-fifty/

Satellite Applications Catapult link - https://sa.catapult.org.uk/

Reykjavik Energy link - https://orkuveitan.is/en/

British Antarctic Survey link - https://www.bas.ac.uk/

UK Space Agency link - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency

OFCOM link - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/

OFGEM link - https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/

Civil Aviation Authority link - https://www.caa.co.uk/

Can AI be both powerful and sustainable? Or are we trading the planet for progress?

Topics discussed

• What is AI and how to build an AI model.
• Differences in AI technologies.
• The cost of running large data centres.
• Carbon accounting of AI.

Host

• Dr. Nadine Moustafa, Research Associate at Imperial, specialising in carbon management and decarbonisation technologies.

Guest 

• Dr. Hanya Ahmed - postdoctoral research assistant at the Royal Veterinary College and Queen Mary University, with the school of electronic engineering and computing science. She specializes in building and training AI models for industry and medical technology.

Timecode & Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

01:30 - What is AI?

03:00 - Building AI Models

06:30 - Environmental Costs of AI Training

09:00 - Efficiency vs. Environmental Impact

12:00 - Genetic Frameworks in AI

14:30 - Cloud vs. Edge AI

17:00 - Carbon Accounting in AI

19:30 - Industry Awareness and Responsibility

22:00 - Future Tools and Benchmarks

24:00 - Final Thoughts

Nadine's links: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-moustafa-ph-d-5831a1a7/

Imperial profile - https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/n.mou...

Hanya’s links: https://www.seresearch.qmul.ac.uk/electronics/people/hahmed/

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

Annemarie Van Basten | LinkedIn

In February of 2025, the Climate Change Committee released the 7th Carbon Budget, advising Government on new pathways to decarbonizing the UK by 2050.

Topics Discussed;

In this episode we dive into the budget as outlined and discuss topics;

• The key strategies in the budget and how likely we are to achieve them.
• Carbon removal and carbon capture technologies
• The jobs and skills needed to achieve a large-scale transition, and
• Challenges for government, industry and public

Host

• Dr. Nadine Moustafa - Research Associate at Imperial, specialising in carbon management and decarbonisation technologies.

Guest 

• Dr Aidan Rhodes – Research Fellow at Imperial and Energy Policy Briefing Paper Fellow at Energy Futures Lab.

Timecode & Chapters;

00:00 - Introduction to the Energy Futures Podcast

00:41 - What is the Carbon Budget?

03:20 - The Seventh Carbon Budget: Scope and Significance

04:11 - Decarbonizing the Power Sector and Beyond

05:51 - Heating and Households: The Heat Pump Challenge

10:52 - From Technology to Implementation: Public Engagement and Policy

14:28 - Industry and Investment: Long-Term Business Models

18:00 - Carbon Markets and Carbon Removal Technologies

21:20 - No Silver Bullet: A Multi-Technology Approach

23:47 - Adaptation and Climate Resilience

28:22 - Challenges to Reaching Net Zero

32:03 - Supply Chains, Skills, and Workforce Transition

36:00 - Granular Planning and Regional Considerations

39:03 - Financing the Transition: Public and Private Roles

43:01 - Conclusion: A Call to Action and Optimism

Nadine's links: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-moustafa-ph-d-5831a1a7/

Imperial profile - https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/n.mou...

Aidan’s Links  - Aidan Rhodes Profile | Imperial College London

Aidan Rhodes | LinkedIn

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

Annemarie Van Basten | LinkedIn

Additional Links 

• Seventh Carbon Budget link - https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/the-seventh-carbon-budget/#:~:text=Our%20recommended%20level%20for%20the,the%20importance%20of%20the%20task
• Climate Change Committee link - https://www.theccc.org.uk
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) link -

In 2025, the UK generated over 14 billion kilowatt-hours of solar electricity, enough to power more than 5 million homes. With solar technology evolving faster than ever, could the next leap in solar power come from labs pushing the boundaries of energy science?

Host - Prof. Christos Markides - Clean energy technologies in the department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial

Guest  - Dr Flurin Eisner - Lecturer and researcher in Green Energy and Sustainable Engineering at Queen Mary University

Topics Discussed 

• Technology improvements in solar cells
• Generation capacity for manufacturing solar technologies
• Growth rate of PV industry
• Technical dive into converting solar power to energy
• Solar heat converted to cooling technologies
• UK’s Solar PV generation vs that of Europe.

Timecode & Chapters;

00:00 - Introduction to the Energy Futures Podcast

00:45 - Meet the Hosts: Christos Markides and Flurin Eisner

02:00 - Overview of Solar Energy Potential and Global Usage

04:30 - Growth of Photovoltaics (PV) and Silicon Dominance

07:00 - Monocrystalline vs Polycrystalline Silicon

08:30 - Emerging Solar Technologies: Perovskites and Organics

11:00 - Advantages and Challenges of Perovskite Solar Cells

13:30 - Tandem Solar Cells and Efficiency Gains

15:00 - Organic PV: Flexibility, Colour Tuning, and Indoor Use

17:30 - Energy Payback Time and Sustainability of New Technologies

19:30 - Hybrid PV-Thermal Systems and Heat Recovery

22:00 - Thermal Storage and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

24:30 - Grid Integration and the Role of Storage

26:30 - Desert Tech and International Solar Projects

28:00 - Challenges in Grid Infrastructure and Distribution

30:00 - Capacity Factors and Renewable Energy Intermittency

32:00 - Solar for Cooling and Building Integration

34:00 - Light Management and Spectral Tuning in PV

36:00 - Material Design and AI in Solar Research

38:00 - Policy, Funding, and the UK’s Role in PV Innovation

40:00 - Solar Panel Adoption in UK Homes and Feed-in Tariffs

42:00 - Final Thoughts: The Solar Revolution is Here

43:00 - Outro and Energy Futures Lab Mission

Christo's links: LinkedIn - Christos Markides | LinkedIn

Imperial profile - Christos Markides Profile | Imperial College London

Flurin’s links: LinkedIn - Flurin Eisner | LinkedIn

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

Annemarie Van Basten | LinkedIn

Additional Links 

Joint Article Publication by Prof. Christos Markides and Dr. Maria Herrando

Hybrid PV and solar-thermal systems for domestic heat and power provision in the UK: Techno-economic considerations

Dr. Maria Herrando Imperial Profile link -

In this episode, we invited the co-authors of our latest briefing paper to come discuss the lessons learned and opportunities gained from the world’s largest off-shore wind farm.

Host

Dr. Aidan Rhodes, Research Fellow at imperial and policy briefing paper fellow at Energy Futures Lab

Guest 

Dr. Kaylen Camacho-McCluskey, an MSc Environmental Technology graduate from Imperial

Topics covered;

- Challenges: Technical & logistical, macroeconomics and global events like Covid and the war in Ukraine.

- Lessons Learned - Standardised approach and collaboration between developers

- Recommendations for Government and for developers.

Timecode & Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the Energy Futures Podcast

00:45 - Meet the Guests: Dr. Aidan Rhodes & Dr. Kaitlyn Camacho McCluskey

02:00 - Kaitlyn’s Journey into Environmental Policy

04:00 - Background on Dogger Bank Wind Farm

05:30 - What is HVDC and Why It Matters

07:30 - Innovations at Dogger Bank: Unmanned Converter Stations

09:30 - Challenges in HVDC Deployment

11:00 - Impact of COVID-19 on Construction

12:30 - Supply Chain Disruptions and Global Events

14:00 - Successes: Collaboration and Standardised Phasing

16:00 - Lessons from the Phased Approach (A, B, C)

17:30 - Planning and Permitting Challenges

19:00 - Government Recommendations for Offshore Wind

20:30 - Grid Upgrades and Transmission Planning

21:30 - Developer Recommendations: Standardisation and Skills

23:00 - Final Thoughts and Where to Find the Report

24:00 - Outro and Call to Action

Aiden's links

Imperial profile

LinkedIn

Kaylen's links

LinkedIn

Produced by Annemarie van Basten

Annemarie Van Basten | LinkedIn

Additional Links 

Briefing Paper

Press Release