PODCAST: 2019 in review and the challenging decade ahead

By Solar Media Staff
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Analysis, backstory and context on some of last year’s biggest news stories. Image: Andy Colthorpe / Solar Media.

Liam Stoker and Andy Colthorpe reflect on the biggest news in energy storage in 2019, while also gazing into their crystal balls and predicting what the energy transition may hold in store for the year ahead.

The podcast can be streamed below:

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Alternatively, you can subscribe and listen to the podcast on the Solar Media Editor’s Channel, which is now on all popular audio channels, including;

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts

Join the conversation on one of the biggest stories of the year ahead with our 2020 Social Media hashtag:

#SmartSolarStorage2020 (LINKEDIN)

#SmartSolarStorage2020 (TWITTER)

8 September 2026
Barcelona, Spain
Battery & Energy Storage Tech Europe (BESTE) is Europe’s industrial scaling platform for stationary and industrial battery applications — not EVs. Taking place 8–9 September 2026 at Fira de Barcelona, BESTE brings together utilities, IPPs, energy-intensive industries, data centres, ports, rail, maritime, defence and aerospace OEMs — all deploying or integrating battery storage at scale. Over 100 companies already confirmed — including EDP Renewables, Acciona, Endesa, Naturgy, Neoen, Galp, Basquevolt and Veolia — alongside 40+ expert speakers and international institutional support from BEPA, BVES, LDES and Volta Foundation. Where Europe’s battery & ES ecosystem turns projects into reality.
15 September 2026
San Diego, USA
You can expect to meet and network with all the key industry players again in 2025 from major US asset owners, operators, RTOs and ISOs, optimizers, software and analytics providers, technical consultancies, O&M technology providers and more.
15 September 2026
Berlin, Germany
Launching September 2026 in Berlin, Energy Storage Summit Germany is a new standalone event dedicated to Germany’s energy storage market. Bringing together investors, developers, policymakers, TSOs, manufacturers and optimisation specialists, the Summit explores the regulatory shifts, revenue models, financing strategies and technology innovations shaping large-scale deployment. With Germany targeting 80% renewables by 2030, it offers a focused platform to connect with the decision-makers driving the Energiewende and the future of utility-scale storage.

Read Next

July 31, 2026
Thermal energy storage (TES) technology provider Antora Energy has closed a US$550 million Series C funding round to accelerate deployment of its thermal battery storage systems for industrial facilities and data centres in the US.
July 31, 2026
Environmental services company Veolia has been selected to operate and maintain a 350MW microgrid to power an AI data centre campus in New Albany, Ohio, US, which includes a 430MWh BESS.
Premium
July 31, 2026
We caught up with Peter Kavanagh, CEO of BESS developer Harmony Energy, after it was acquired by Switzerland-headquartered power group Alpiq. 
July 31, 2026
The State Council of China recently released the 15th Five-Year Carbon Peaking Action Plan, outlining a roadmap for carbon peaking through the Action Plan period.
July 30, 2026
Infrastructure and construction company Aecon Group has executed an agreement with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) for the 150MW/1,200MWh Simcoe energy storage project in Norfolk County, Ontario.