SUPPLY, STORAGE & SECURITY: THE DECADE TO DELIVER
19th September 2023 | Croke Park, Dublin
8:00
Registration, Networking Arrival Break and Exhibition Viewing
8:50
OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR
Ivan Yates
Broadcaster
8:55
KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
Policies and measures to integrate climate and energy plans in an uncertain world
Mary Lou McDonald TD
President, Sinn Fein
DELIVERING A SECURE TRANSITION
9:15
INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE:
The global ambition – current and future European energy policy and priorities
Elaine O’Connell
Policy Officer, Directorate General for Energy, Internal Energy Market Unit, European Commission
9:35
KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
Accelerating the transition for Ireland
Brian Ó Gallachóir
Professor of Energy Engineering, University College Cork (UCC) & Director of SFI MaREI Centre
9:55
The gas network: the reliable backbone of Ireland’s energy system and key to our cleaner energy future
Edwina Nyhan
Director of Strategy and Regulation, Gas Networks Ireland
10:10
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Key challenges and opportunities for Ireland’s low carbon transition
- How is Ireland dealing with the impact of the current geopolitical crisis and what contingency plans are needed to prepare for possible energy supply issues and cyber-attacks?
- What technology, funding and investment is needed when moving to a new economic model powered by innovation and clean energy?
- How do we transition in a structured manner without risking blackouts and soaring energy prices?
- Is the continued use of natural gas during a period of transition away from fossil fuels a problem for climate action?
Edwina Nyhan
Director of Strategy and Regulation, Gas Networks Ireland
Dr Colm Ó Conaill
Energy Attaché to the EU, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Robert O’Rourke
Senior Manager, Electricity Networks, Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU)
Jim Scheer
Head of Data & Insights, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
10:40
Networking Coffee Break and Exhibition Viewing
COLLABORATING TO ENSURE SUPPLY, STORAGE & SECURITY
11:10
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Coming together to plan, build, operate and support the development of the country’s chief renewable energy resources
As Ireland transitions to an energy system with increased electrification of heat and transport, coupled with increasing levels of renewable energy, it is essential that robust solutions are put in place to ensure continued energy system resilience.
- How can we attract investment and support indigenous business to innovate and accelerate in this space?
- What is the impact of carbon taxes on households?
Paul Griffiths
CEO Mag Mell Energy Ireland Ltd
Muireann Lynch
Research Officer, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)
David Carroll
Head of Innovation & Research, EirGrid Group
11:45
Alex Blanckley
Principal, AFRY Management Consulting
12:00
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Renewables driving the future system to secure supply and storage
Ireland’s future system will be driven by the supply of renewables, a weather-based system based on solar, wind, storage and other technologies. The panel will discuss the amount of energy they can provide to the market and how 2022 is the year the industry really starts delivering.
- What additional capacity in storage is needed to decrease the frequency and severity of supply shortages?
- Is the Irish planning system ready to deliver 4,000 MW of onshore wind and 5,000 MW of offshore wind in less than ten years? Does it have the resources to do so?
- What needs to change to ensure we can get the projects we need and the associated grid infrastructure, through the system in time to meet our targets?
- What are the challenges in the development of renewable energy resources?
Paddy Phelan
President, Irish Energy Storage Association (IESA)
Conall Bolger
CEO, Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA)
Justin Moran
Director of External Affairs, Wind Energy Ireland
12:30
Achieving a carbon-neutral electricity mix in Europe before mid-century
Kristian Ruby
Secretary General, Union of the Electricity Industry – Eurelectric
12:45
Networking Lunch Break and Exhibition Viewing
SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE SUPPLY, STORAGE & SECURITY
1:45
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Accelerating ambition to scale up for the future
- Where are the opportunities for companies in bioenergy, green hydrogen, solar PV generation, district heating, anaerobic digestion, waste to energy projects and others?
- What additional capacity in demand response is needed to decrease the frequency and severity of supply shortages?
- What is the role of bioenergy play in renewable electricity, transport and heat?
- Where is its potential in addressing the many challenges that we face from emissions, reducing fossil fuel usage and broader benefits of indigenous bioenergy from an energy security point of view
- What sustainable infrastructure investments are attracting energy funding?
- What obstacles need to be overcome to channel capital flows towards sustainable energy businesses?
- What are the challenges scaling residential heat pump retrofit?
Sean Finan
CEO, Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA)
Siobhan McHugh
CEO, Demand Response Association of Ireland
Calin Tasnadi
Technical Group Lead, Heat Pump Association of Ireland
2:15
SPOTLIGHT SERIES:
Accelerating large scale renewable heat through district heating – delivering the ‘electricity grid’ of the heating world
Donna Gartland
CEO, Codema & Director, Irish District Energy Association (IrDEA)
2:30
SPOTLIGHT SERIES:
Optimising synergies between electricity & heat – what can be done now!
With so much pressure on industry to move away from fossil fuel use, now is the time to harness the opportunity presented by our greatest indigenous resource. Industry can substantially decarbonise with a positive return on investment by converting surplus renewable electricity into heat. In keeping with the Government Climate Action Plan for hybrid delivery of industrial steam, affordable zero carbon heat and integration of additional renewable electricity generation can be achieved through flexible electrification of industrial heat. PARAT technology, with decades of reliable history, can be used to help solve an issue specific to Ireland. Flexible operation of PARAT Electrode Boilers (up to 90tph each) beside existing boilers provides a dual-fuel benefit, improves security and cost. In addition, it reduces dispatch down by introducing new consumption during times of high wind in the most constrained areas. A consequence of this is less need for additional grid infrastructure. It is providing benefit to many stakeholders including wind & solar generation, the transmission & distribution system operators, the government, the regulator and of course industry. High temperature industrial heat applications (up to 85 bar) can be decarbonised now. Industry does not need to wait!
Helen O'Sullivan
Co-founder & Operations Manager, Flex Power Solutions
THE IMPACT OF DIGITALISATION ON THE DECADE OF DELIVERY
2:45
PANEL DISCUSSION:
How digitalisation is accelerating progress in the decade
Digitalisation is a crucial part of the energy transition. In order to achieve a future energy system running on almost 100% sustainable energy sources, digitalisation will play a key role, especially in coordinating massive numbers of distributed energy resources throughout the system and unlocking new sources of system flexibility.
- What technologies will give us the greatest security?
- What key enabling technologies are transforming the sector and how can their innovation potential be fully captured? Where are the technology gaps?
- How can we attract investment and support indigenous business to innovate and accelerate in this space?
Chris Collins
Country President, Schneider Electric Ireland
James O’Donnell
Assistant Professor, School of Mechanical & Material Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD)
Barry Hayes
Assistant Professor, School of Engineering, University College Cork (UCC)
3:15
LOCKNOTE ADDRESS:
Achieving a clean energy transition
Ireland is heavily dependent on imported fossil fuel energy – the cost and volatility of which has been highlighted in recent months. Our response to this crisis must be an acceleration of the transition to clean energy, using our own resources, smart technologies and innovative behaviour by industry and consumers. This will deliver a double benefit – better control of costs and most importantly a significant reduction of our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Marie C. Donnelly
Chairperson, Climate Change Advisory Council
3:30
CLOSING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR
Ivan Yates
Broadcaster