191. “How Big Things Get Done” with Pr. Bent Flyvbjerg (hosted by Michael Barnard)

191. “How Big Things Get Done” with Pr. Bent Flyvbjerg (hosted by Michael Barnard)

This is a re-release of the legendary interview by Michael Barnard of Pr Bent Flyvbjerg on our sister show ”Redefining Energy Tech” Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, an expert on megaprojects and author of How Big Things Get Done, shares insights from a database of over 16,000 projects, revealing that 99.5% fail to meet expectations in budget, timeline, or benefits.

He stresses the value of learning from successful projects, especially in renewable energy, where solar, wind, and transmission projects outperform nuclear power, which suffers from regulatory hurdles and skill shortages.

Flyvbjerg introduces key concepts like modularity, repeatability, and the “window of doom”—the critical early phase when delays can derail projects. He contrasts fast, modular successes like the Tesla Gigafactory with slow, complex projects like nuclear plants and the Olympics.

The episode also compares pumped hydro and battery storage, highlighting the role of risk management, stakeholder alignment, and using data-based heuristics to guide project decisions. Listeners are encouraged to understand base rates, study variance charts (especially Chapter 9 of Flyvbjerg's book), and develop their own heuristics for better megaproject outcomes.

Episoder(180)

221. LNG – Hormuz – “Apocalypse Now” - Mar26

221. LNG – Hormuz – “Apocalypse Now” - Mar26

Gerard and Laurent host Ira Joseph, a leading expert on gas and LNG markets at the Columbia Center on Global Energy, to explore how the Middle East conflict is reshaping the industry.In normal times, ...

23 Mar 26min

220. Deal Trends for M&A and Energy Financing - Mar26

220. Deal Trends for M&A and Energy Financing - Mar26

Six years after her last appearance on the podcast (Episode 28, 15 June 2020), Natasha Luther-Jones  returns to join Laurent and Gerard for a lively catch-up on how both her career and the energy sect...

16 Mar 28min

219. Hyperscalers vs US Utilities - Mar26

219. Hyperscalers vs US Utilities - Mar26

While Gerard is fixing his knee, Laurent invites Chris Seiple, Vice Chairman of WoodMac Power & Renewables group, to try to make sense of the scale of the coming power demand surge and the strain it i...

9 Mar 30min

218. Climate Tech Battle Royale (Shayle Kann vs. Gerard Reid) - Mar26

218. Climate Tech Battle Royale (Shayle Kann vs. Gerard Reid) - Mar26

Last month, Gerard Reid joined Shayle Kann, Managing Partner at Energy Impact Partners, for a world class and fast-moving conversation on the state and future of Climate Tech.   The discussion was org...

2 Mar 37min

217. Lithium, Copper, Silver and other metals go ballistic - Feb26

217. Lithium, Copper, Silver and other metals go ballistic - Feb26

Lithium has doubled in three months. Copper is printing record highs. Silver went vertical—then collapsed. The move was fast. The reversals were faster. Volatility isn’t elevated. It’s systemic.  But ...

23 Feb 27min

216. Clean Energy Equities Market: "Dancing While the Music Plays"   - Feb26

216. Clean Energy Equities Market: "Dancing While the Music Plays" - Feb26

Clean Energy equities have comfortably outperformed the major indices in 2025.  Laurent and Gerard are joined by friend of the show Shanu Mathew, an equity portfolio manager everyone in the sector kno...

16 Feb 34min

215. PPAs, FPAs, IPPs, Flex and Capture rates: new paradigms - Feb26

215. PPAs, FPAs, IPPs, Flex and Capture rates: new paradigms - Feb26

Luca Pedretti, Co-Founder, Pexapark, returns to discuss how volatility, market design, and new contract structures are transforming power markets and renewable economics. What begins with PPA pricing ...

9 Feb 27min

214. Grid Resilience: hot risks, cold solutions - Feb26

214. Grid Resilience: hot risks, cold solutions - Feb26

Resilience is the buzzword of the moment—from Gerard’s personal resilience on display in Davos last week to the critical issue of grid resilience.  The great Doug Houseman draws a useful distinction b...

2 Feb 29min

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