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THE ALL-ENERGY CONFERENCE GETS UNDER THE SKIN OF RENEWABLES

The All-Energy 2011 conference (18-19 May, Aberdeen) provides an opportunity to ‘get under the skin’ of the renewable energy industry with some 50 conference sessions featuring some 280 speakers covering all sources of renewable energy; the issues facing the industry – ranging from the grid to finance/funding, and from attracting the right people with the right skills; to renewables for communities, for farmers ….

“The list is almost endless,” explains Judith Patten, a co-creator of the UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition and conference, and tasked particularly with conference production. “Naturally the conference looks at all major sources of renewable energy – on- and offshore wind; wave and tidal; hydrogen and fuel cells; hydro, bioenergy (biomass, biogas, biofuels and energy from waste); geothermal – and it also looks at microgeneration (solar PV and thermal, small wind, fuel cell CHP and heat pumps); nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage.

“We also have thought provoking sessions on power storage (very much ‘the holy grail’); on sustainable transport; the grid – including smart grids; renewable heat; district heating; energy efficiency; and public perception. There will also be several sessions looking at different aspects of investment and financing – obviously vital to the success of the rapidly expanding industry. One of these (first thing on Thursday morning) will look at industry perspectives on financing.”

It is estimated that £200billion of funding for low carbon technology is required to achieve the UK's 2020 targets. Finance is available for well structured projects and class leading companies. However there are many challenges, ranging from the regulatory uncertainty presented by EMR, to lower valuations resulting from the higher demand for funding. No one is immune from the status quo, as the panel of speakers in this session – drawn from Pöyry Management Consulting, Deloitte, ScottishPower Renewables and GreenPower and chaired by Adrian Scholtz of KPMG Europe, will demonstrate: the utilities need to ration and recycle capital; whilst independents must operate really efficiently to remain solvent.

Chalking up a number of ‘firsts’

For the first time All-Energy will have sessions on water – maximising CO2 savings; health and safety across all renewable energy sources; a session on offshore geophysical surveys; another on design and modelling in the wave and tidal sector; one devoted to geothermal and another to district heating; and a number of single conference sessions organised by key organisations:

• Industrialising the offshore wind sector: The continuing call to arms to the UK offshore supply chain – organised by the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG)

• Growing the green economy – organised by UK Trade and Investment

• Bankable projects: Regs, Risks and Returns – organised by the Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC)

• Fish ‘n’ chips: rising to current industry challenges – organised by British Hydropower Association

• The Smart Grid – organised by The IET

• Austria – Renewable Energy Showcase: Experience with renewable heat – organised by the Austrian Trade Commission

• Renewables for communities – organised by Community Energy Scotland

• Investment in innovation in renewables – organised by Cleantech Investor

• District heating – organised by the Combined Heat and Power Association

• Scottish supply chain development for a new energy future – organised by Scottish Enterprise/ TWI Ltd

• Powering growth – diversification opportunities in new energy markets: lessons learned – organised by the Industrial and Power Association

• SuperGen – organised by The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC)

Exceptional speakers

It is not only the extensive list of subjects that makes the All-Energy 2011 conference exceptional – it is the level of speakers; and also the fact that like the major All-Energy 2011 exhibition with over 530 exhibiting companies from 20 countries, the Giant Networking Evening (18 May), Careers Fair (19 May), and Technical Tours (20 May) there is no charge for attendance.

The opening plenary session on 18 May, chaired by RenewableUK Chairman Andrew Jamieson of ScottishPower Renewables, features Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State at DECC; and Sir Ian Wood, Chairman, Wood Group. Stuart Cook, Senior Partner, Transmission and Governance at Ofgem will deliver a keynote address in one of three grid sessions; Keith Parker, CEO Nuclear Industry Association will chair the nuclear session with Nigel Knee, Head of Policy for Nuclear New Build, EdF; Dr Kerry Thomas, Associate Director for Research, Environmental Sustainability KTN, University of Oxford, Institute of Advanced Technologies, will chair the Water: maximising CO2 savings session and deliver a scene setting address.

“Indeed, the programme reads like a veritable ‘Who’s Who’ of the various key sectors in the renewable energy industry, and we are grateful to those within the industry who have offered assistance and guidance in planning this compelling programme,” says Judith Patten. “I urge all involved in the renewables industry in any way to join us in Aberdeen on 18 and 19 May – there will certainly be sessions of interest to them in the conference; and plenty to keep them busy in our ‘largest ever’ exhibition, which is 30% larger in terms of space occupied by exhibitors than last year’s record-breaking event.”

Full information on All-Energy, including the entire conference programme, is available on the show’s website at www.all-energy.co.uk where online registration is open free of charge to all with a professional/business interest in renewable energy.

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