{"id":4394,"date":"2026-03-18T09:48:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T08:48:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.planetfanatics.hu\/?p=4394"},"modified":"2026-03-18T09:48:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T08:48:32","slug":"the-independence-of-electrical-energy-is-not-realistic-sustainability-honestly-with-with-zsolt-jamniczky-episode-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.planetfanatics.hu\/en\/news\/the-independence-of-electrical-energy-is-not-realistic-sustainability-honestly-with-with-zsolt-jamniczky-episode-5\/","title":{"rendered":"“The independence of electrical energy is not realistic.\u201d | Sustainability, Honestly with with Zsolt Jamniczky (Episode 5)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fifth episode of the Honestly About Sustainability<\/em> podcast features Zsolt Jamniczky, Deputy CEO of the E.ON Hung\u00e1ria Group<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

The podcast recording is available to watch on our YouTube channel<\/a> and can be listened to on Spotify<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In this episode, we explored the current and future state of energy, focusing on the energy transition, grid development needs, and European competitiveness. Zsolt Jamniczky and Katalin Szomol\u00e1nyi<\/span><\/span> discuss why Hungary is considered a global leader in solar energy utilization\u2014surpassing even Chile<\/span><\/span> and Greece<\/span><\/span>\u2014why seasonal electricity storage remains an unsolved challenge during winter periods, and how multi-year PPA agreements integrating green energy (such as Green Cloud) can provide long-term stability for companies, compared to the more familiar but riskier short-term fixed-price contracts.<\/p>\n

An episode about the global transformations reshaping energy markets, the pitfalls of Europe\u2019s green transition, and why the cheapest and greenest energy is always the energy that is not consumed.<\/p>\n

SZK<\/strong>
Over the past five to ten years, enormous changes have taken place globally and in Hungary as well. What has characterized the domestic energy market most in recent years, and what major milestones have we achieved?<\/p>\n

JZS<\/strong>
We have gone through tremendous changes, most notably an incredible solar boom over the past five years. Today, Hungary has become a global leader in solar energy utilization\u2014surpassing even Chile<\/span><\/span> and Greece<\/span><\/span>. Domestic solar power capacity now exceeds 8 gigawatts, which is more than our daily consumption. During sunny hours, we can almost fully supply ourselves, and this total capacity already surpasses that of Paks Nuclear Power Plant<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Another major milestone was managing the price explosion in 2022 and the market reshuffling caused by the Russia-Ukraine War<\/span><\/span>, which led, for example, to the emergence of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Europe. In addition, electrification and electromobility have accelerated dramatically. Today, there are technologies that can charge enough electricity into a car for 100 kilometers in just four to five minutes.<\/p>\n

SZK<\/strong>
There is often a demand for domestic energy independence. During a cold, dark January period\u2014when solar production drops to a fraction\u2014electricity imports can rise to as much as 40%. How realistic is it for Hungary to ever become independent from electricity imports?<\/p>\n

JZS<\/strong>
It is not realistic at all\u2014because, as I usually say, not even \u201call the money in the world\u201d would be enough. The biggest issue is that electricity cannot currently be stored seasonally at this scale\u2014from summer to winter. Hungary does not have the geographical conditions\u2014such as abundant hydropower like the Norwegians\u2014that would allow flexible regulation of electricity production.<\/p>\n

If extra energy is needed, gas remains the solution here. But it would not be logical to build and maintain massive gas power plants just to cover extreme cold and dark January weeks that occur perhaps once every seven years. Instead, a much more rational solution is to have well-connected European systems, allowing energy to flow freely between countries.<\/p>\n

SZK<\/strong>
The energy sector is responsible for 38% of global carbon dioxide emissions. How can strict European climate targets be maintained while keeping energy affordable and ensuring companies do not completely lose their competitiveness on the global market?<\/p>\n

JZS<\/strong>
In Europe, affordability and industrial competitiveness are currently the biggest challenges. Compared to the United States, energy prices are about twice as high, and compared to China, roughly three times higher. I am convinced that emission reduction and stable energy supply cannot be achieved without nuclear energy. Baseload power is essential\u2014it must complement weather-dependent renewables.<\/p>\n

Europe will likely be able to meet its 55% emission reduction target by 2030, although the current stagnation of the European economy unfortunately contributes significantly to this. The real challenge will be achieving the 90% reduction target by 2040. We must find a way to regain global competitiveness while enabling economic growth to resume.<\/p>\n

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ZSOLT JAMNICZKY<\/strong>
He began his career at the Foreign Relations Office of the Hungarian National Assembly<\/span><\/span>, and from 1996 spent more than ten years in leadership positions in Budapest, Brussels, and Zagreb.<\/p>\n

He joined E.ON Hung\u00e1ria<\/span><\/span> in 2007 and has been Deputy CEO since 2010. His responsibilities include energy markets, sales, customer solutions, and the management of the E.ON Hung\u00e1ria brand.<\/p>\n

He is actively involved in energy and sustainability professional organizations, serving on the boards of Eurelectric<\/span><\/span> and the Hungarian Business Council for Sustainable Development<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

He has driven initiatives in e-mobility development, the deployment of EV charging networks, and the implementation of the Szolnok Intelligent Urban Energy Model.<\/p>\n

His work has been recognized with the Hungarian Order of Merit, Knight’s Cross<\/span><\/span> and the \u201cManager of the Year for an Environmentally Conscious Economy\u201d award from the National Association of Managers<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

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SZK<\/strong>
Due to the energy transition and previous price spikes, saving energy and optimizing its use has become a key issue\u2014especially considering that for the past 35 years we\u2019ve been used to energy always being available at an acceptable price. What measures would you recommend to companies to help optimize their operations?<\/p>\n

JZS<\/strong>
The very first step is a mindset shift: the simplest thing is to review your own consumption and identify opportunities to save\u2014starting with basic steps, like turning off the lights when leaving a room. When looking at electricity purchased from the grid, it\u2019s very important to understand that prices can fluctuate even within a single day. That\u2019s why it makes sense to coordinate operations and consumption with the hours when energy is cheaper.<\/p>\n

We have introduced two tariffs to support this kind of optimization. One is the \u201csunrise tariff,\u201d which, from March 1 to the end of October, offers electricity roughly 30% cheaper during morning and afternoon hours thanks to abundant solar production. An energy-intensive manufacturer, for example, could achieve significant savings simply by starting a shift at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.<\/p>\n

The second solution is the \u201cweekend tariff,\u201d which provides a 30% discount over a 55-hour window from late Friday to early Monday. This is a great opportunity for hospitality or the HoReCa sector: restaurants can significantly reduce costs if preparations for strong weekend demand are scheduled during this discounted period.<\/p>\n

In Western Europe, there are already hourly tariffs where equipment is operated according to these price signals\u2014so the market is moving in this direction. If a company also has free roof or land space, the next logical step is installing its own solar panels, energy storage, and a smart energy management system.<\/p>\n

SZK<\/strong>
What would you advise corporate leaders in this uncertain environment? How can they adapt, and how can the Green Cloud solution help them?<\/p>\n

JZS<\/strong>
The first and most important mindset every leader must adopt is this: the cheapest and greenest energy is always the energy that is not consumed. To achieve stability, companies must break with old habits, because the previous one-year fixed-price contracts have become too risky.<\/p>\n

The Green Cloud solution helps companies by encouraging them to think and contract for the longer term\u2014typically three to five years. This approach allows them to secure energy within a defined price band, with 30\u201350% guaranteed to be green energy. The biggest advantage is predictability: leaders are protected from drastic price fluctuations, and energy costs can finally be planned as a fixed line item in business spreadsheets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The full conversation is available to watch on our YouTube channel and to listen to on Spotify.<\/a><\/div>\n
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