The conference comes at a pivotal time in Europe’s energy transition, happening only days after the G7 are due to meet in the UK and weeks after they agreed to accelerate the transition towards an overwhelmingly decarbonized power system in the 2030s and end of direct government support for international coal power by the end of 2021.
As nations look at how to integrate climate action into Covid-19 recovery strategies and investments, the conference will assess how the energy industry, policymakers and governments can come together to build a new energy system which is sustainable, affordable, and accessible.
Europe Energy Week is being held in partnership with AHK, the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad; Energy UK, the trade association for the energy industry; Siemens Gamesa, a global leader in the wind industry; and Munich Security Conference, the world's leading forum for debating the most pressing challenges to international security.
During the three days, delegates will hear from a world-class speaker line up including EU Commissioners, CEOs, finance leaders and experts from all partner organizations. The panellists will address the challenges and opportunities facing the energy sector in this journey of evolution and transformation towards decarbonized energy systems.
Topics such as financing tomorrow’s energy systems, what the energy system of the future will look like, how to transition from coal to lower carbon alternatives, hydrogen development, cyber security and more will be discussed.
“We are at a pivotal point in our energy transition. We need to take decisive action now to limit the impact of global warming and to keep within the 1.5-degree limit defined in the Paris Agreement. To do this will take courage and will require all parties in the energy system to work together to make it a reality, said Ariel Porat, Senior Vice President, Europe, Siemens Energy. “The battle against climate change and the provision of energy around the world will ultimately succeed only if political leaders, the business community, and society as a whole work closer together to find solutions. That is why this energy week, bringing together all stakeholders to discuss approaches to solving the problem is so important.”
Jörg Buck, CEO, AHK Italy said: “A successful energy transition is a safeguard for economic progress in Europe - we therefore plead for close cooperation between companies and governments.”
Emma Pinchbeck, Energy UK's chief executive said: “Climate change is a global challenge that can only be tackled with increased cooperation among governments, businesses and citizens. With COP 26 around the corner and the UK carbon market launched last week, this conference is an opportunity to discuss how we can accelerate the transition to a decarbonized energy system, rebuild the economy, create jobs and strengthen international cooperation on climate during this crucial decade for our planet.”
“It’s indisputable that wind power is real power, and that utilizing this power is crucial to meeting global decarbonization goals. Yet even as countries and companies fight climate change together on an unprecedented level, we still have a way to go. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that wind and solar power installations need to be quadrupled to meet the Net Zero target in 2050. We applaud initiatives like the EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy and its ambitious targets, and are proud to invent, install, and inspire solutions that deliver great power and real performance,” said Martin Gerhardt, Senior Vice President for Offshore Platform & Portfolio Management at Siemens Gamesa.
Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman Munch Security Conference, said: “The international community is confronted with a dual challenge while moving towards net zero: in order to mitigate global warming, one of the gravest threats humanity faces today, it has to urgently step up its collective efforts to decarbonize. At the same time, if not managed well, the energy transition itself has the potential to be highly disruptive. To address this two-fold challenge, global cooperation between governments, the industry, and civil society is urgently needed. The Munich Security Conference (MSC) is deeply committed to driving the discussion on how to speed up the global path towards Net Zero and how to manage the geopolitical implications of the energy transition.”
