Building Energy Resilience: Balancing Cost, Sustainability and Security

Rethinking: EHS Global Goals. Local Delivery.
Campaign: Rethinking EHS Podcast
Podcast title with headshots of guest speakers

In this episode, host Angie Dickson (President Inogen Alliance) is joined by David Wiley (Tonkin + Taylor, New Zealand) and Sofiane Kessouar (Baden Consulting, Switzerland) to explore the growing importance of energy resilience for businesses operating in an increasingly complex global landscape. The discussion examines the challenges posed by rising energy costs, grid instability, climate change, decarbonisation pressures, and increasing demand driven by emerging technologies such as AI.

Drawing on perspectives from Europe, New Zealand, and global markets, the guests discuss how organisations can strengthen resilience through energy efficiency, distributed generation, renewable energy adoption, advanced storage technologies, and smarter energy management systems. The conversation highlights the need for organisations to balance sustainability ambitions with operational reliability while embracing innovations that improve both resilience and long-term profitability.

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Time Stamps

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction: Why energy resilience matters
  • 00:01:17 – Rising energy costs, climate impacts, and growing demand
  • 00:02:54 – Europe's energy transition and regional differences
  • 00:05:42 – New Zealand's renewable energy journey and emerging challenges
  • 00:07:34 – Business risks and operational resilience
  • 00:08:27 – Distributed generation and taking control of energy supply
  • 00:09:31 – Regulatory considerations and ownership challenges
  • 00:11:12 – Conservation and energy efficiency strategies
  • 00:12:16 – Why there is no one-size-fits-all solution
  • 00:14:24 – IoT, real-time monitoring, and demand-side management
  • 00:16:32 – Emerging storage technologies and battery innovation
  • 00:17:25 – Floating solar, waste heat recovery, and smart grids
  • 00:18:56 – Decarbonisation goals versus operational requirements
  • 00:21:54 – Community energy projects and local resilience initiatives
  • 00:23:26 – Balancing sustainability, reliability, and cost
  • 00:24:34 – Emerging technologies shaping the future of energy
  • 00:25:14 – Battery innovation, virtual power plants, and AI-driven optimisation
  • 00:28:38 – Heat pumps and energy efficiency opportunities
  • 00:31:07 – Key trends and practical advice for organisations
  • 00:33:14 – Closing reflections and future outlook

Guest Quotes

David Wiley:

“The cost of renewables is dropping much faster than most people realise, and the cost of battery storage is dropping at a pace that many clients don't realise either.”

Sofiane Benhaddou:

“The biggest challenge is that there is absolutely no one-size-fits-all solution. You are dealing with a fragmented world.”