#97 - Andreas Svanlund - Why The 'Energy Transition' Is Dead

Andreas Svanlund is Chief Commercial Officer at Safe Clean, a Norwegian hydrocarbons company. Formerly an officer in the Norwegian Armed Forces, Andreas later joined the defence industry as a business developer with a focus on NATO and Europol special forces. He has also supplied combat uniforms and equipment to the Norwegian military, working closely with national counter-terrorism and organised crime units.In this episode, Andreas and I think out loud about the critical importance of energy resilience for Western nations in today’s multipolar world. We discuss why the much-vaunted “energy transition” to renewables has not only failed but arguably never truly begun, and what this means for national security. Andreas explains the risks of relying on foreign energy supplies, how the rapid growth of AI data centres will actually increase demand for fossil fuels, and why governments will be forced to adapt their energy policies as a result.We also explore the deep connections between energy resilience, economic prosperity, and domestic political stability and what is at stake if these connections are ignored.You can follow Andreas’s work here:Andreas’s SubstackAndreas’s LinkedInAbout Thinking Class:Thinking Class is a long-form interview podcast exploring the cultural, historical, and moral forces shaping England, Britain, and the wider Western world.Hosted by John Gillam, the show features serious conversations with historians, academics, and independent thinkers.Thinking Class is concerned with discovering long-term patterns over headlines and hot-takes. Expect historically-grounded analysis on matters of national character, institutions, demography, belief, and political legitimacy.New episodes every week.▶️ Subscribe on YouTube🎧 Follow on Spotify📰 Read on Substack🐦 Follow on X