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(174)

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

213. Big Funds, Bigger Bets: Inside Infrastructure’s Power Shift - Jan26

213. Big Funds, Bigger Bets: Inside Infrastructure’s Power Shift - Jan26

The infrastructure fund industry has become one of the most powerful engines behind the rise of renewables and datacenters. With Zak Bentley, Americas Editor, Infrastructure Investor (part of the PEI ...

26 Jan 30min

212. Heat Pumps rise again - Jan26

212. Heat Pumps rise again - Jan26

Heat pumps sit at the heart of Europe’s strategy to cut emissions and reduce dependence on imported gas. Under the EU’s REPowerEU plan, the bloc is targeting 60 million heat pumps by 2030. By the end ...

19 Jan 31min

211. The last Mile revolution: turning Distribution Networks into Flexibility Powerhouses - Jan26

211. The last Mile revolution: turning Distribution Networks into Flexibility Powerhouses - Jan26

Laurent and Gerard sit down with Jo-Jo Hubbard, CEO of Electron, to explore why the centre of gravity in the energy transition is shifting decisively toward the distribution grid. Jo-Jo explains why t...

12 Jan 30min

210. Our Predictions for 2026

210. Our Predictions for 2026

Happy New Year energy nerdsAs tradition demands (and lawyers insist), the first episode of the year is the annual ritual where Gerard, Laurent, and Michael boldly predict the future of the energy tran...

5 Jan 33min

209. Deals, Scandals and other memorable moments of 2025

209. Deals, Scandals and other memorable moments of 2025

For our final episode of the year, Laurent jumped onto the Wolfe Power podcast, where he and host Alex Wolfe took a no-nonsense tour through the big energy moments that shaped 2025.  Deals of the Year...

22 Des 202537min

208. AI vs. Energy: the cost of speed - dec25

208. AI vs. Energy: the cost of speed - dec25

Will artificial intelligence reshape the power grid, or will the inertia and complexity of today’s infrastructure slow progress—or even redefine how large language models, chips, and datacenters are d...

15 Des 202531min

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