EP. 277 Michael Lewis on Delivering the Transition at System Scale

As part of a special live edition of Energy Unplugged, recorded from the podcast booth at E-World in Essen, Hanns Koenig, Managing Directore EMEA for Aurora Energy Research, sits down with Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper, to discuss the realities of leading a major European energy company at the heart of the transition. Drawing on three decades in the sector - from building E.ON’s offshore wind business to steering Uniper through recovery after the gas crisis - Michael reflects on what it really takes to deliver the energy transition: cost discipline, system thinking, and a relentless focus on security of supply. The conversation spans Germany’s progress on renewables, the case for new hydrogen-ready gas capacity, the role of batteries and demand-side flexibility, gas market resilience post-Russia, and the growing impact of data centres and electrification on future power demand. Throughout, one theme stands out: the transition cannot be delivered in silos - it must be approached as a fully integrated system. What you’ll learn: Why flexibility is shifting from generators to customers in a renewables-led system How Germany is balancing coal phase-out with new hydrogen-ready gas plants What true gas security looks like after the Russia shock - and why diversification matters How AI, data centres and electrification could reshape Europe’s electricity demand curve Registration for the leading annual gathering of the European energy industry – the Aurora Spring Forum, taking place on 29th April 2026, in London is open - a one-day deep dive into the biggest strategic questions shaping Europe’s energy transition, plus top-tier networking and a live recording of Energy Unplugged. Book now at and use code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

You can listen to EP. 277 Michael Lewis on Delivering the Transition at System Scale online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

EP. 277 Michael Lewis on Delivering the Transition at System Scale is an episode from Energy Unplugged by Aurora Energy Research.

This episode is 39:03 long.

This episode was published on Feb 17, 2026.

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