Why Renewables Are Booming Despite the Politics | Ep245: Miguel Stilwell D'Andrade

Original Description

This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich sits down with Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, CEO of EDP, one of the world’s leading clean energy companies.

From the front lines of the energy transition, Miguel explains why electricity demand in the United States is exploding, driven by AI, data centres, and re-industrialisation, and why this could make renewables one of the most attractive investments of the decade. He also shares how EDP transformed itself from an 80% coal-based utility into a company generating over 90% of its electricity from renewables.

But the transition hasn’t been entirely smooth. Miguel recounts the dramatic moment when Spain’s grid collapsed, taking Portugal down with it, and what it taught him about resilience, grid stability, and the hidden challenges of running a modern clean power system.

They also dive into:

• Why soaring power demand is changing energy economics

• The real story behind renewable costs and rising electricity prices

• The link between European competitiveness and energy independence

• The political and economic reality of investing in US clean energy

• Why resilience may define the next phase of the transition

This episode was recorded prior to the recent storms in Portugal. For more information on how EDP is responding to the storms, and what to do if you are affected by them, please visit: www.edp.com

Leadership Circle:

Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Schneider Electric, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.

Links and more:

• EDP website: https://edp.com/en

• The £60 Billion Plan To Rewire Britain | Ep227: John Pettigrew https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Lg1A958aA

• The Enormous Ambition Of Germany’s New Grid Build Out | Ep233: Tim Meyerjürgens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQgUuJ-dx78

• The $60 Billion Plan For Europe’s Largest AI Data Centre | Ep235: Robert Dunn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juAyLAUmU3w

• The Price of Resilience - Ep8: Roger Dennis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CELQT31riDE

Chapters:

00:00 - Coming Up

02:42 - Introduction

06:00 - Who are EDP?

09:30 - Coal to Clean

13:30 - Where EDP is Investing

15:50 - Why US Is a Good Investment

21:00 - US Wind

23:00 - Energy Independence

27:00 - Energy Costs

30:00 - EU vs US Competitiveness

35:50 - Grid Buildout

38:00 - Spain & Portugal Blackout

41:30 - Blackstart & Learnings

43:00 - Resilience & Backups

48:10 - Innovation

52:00 - Data Centres & AI

54:00 - Affordability

57:00 - Investment & Long-Term Trends

01:01:05 - Outro