Energy & Development 2019

Announcement

24th National Energy Conference "Energy and Development 2019”

"Energy’s Pivotal Role in Economic Growth”

November 21 – 22, 2019, Eugenides Foundation, Athens

The Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE) is organizing, once again, its annual conference now in its 24th edition. The conference will take place in Athens on November 21-22, 2019 and will be held as usual at the conference center of the Eugenides Foundation. The conference has been established over the past years as a major event in Greece for energy policy and business. The conference is backed by Greece’s major energy companies and is organized under the auspices of Greece’s Ministry of Environment and Energy and with the support of international organisations.

The special topic of this year’s event is "Energy’s Pivotal Role in Economic Growth, wishing to underline the significance of the energy sector in economic growth and its special importance to Greece and SE Europe, as the region is gradually coming out of many years of recession. The positive prospects of the energy sector are to be summed up in terms of policy, markets and infrastructure.

At the same time and looking at the global energy scene, the need for Energy Transition has acquired a new significance in the overall drive to combat Climate Change. Today, the global energy environment is radically changing as the pace towards decarbonization is gaining momentum and further efforts are needed for the adaptation of energy markets, the diversification of the energy mix and consumers’ acceptance of new market realities.

In a constantly changing economic and political environment with new technologies and geopolitical developments playing a key role, there are new prospects and challenges. The question that is being raised today, and will be discussed in depth in the upcoming IENE conference, are the changes in strategy and investment plans which companies and organizations need to introduce in order to meet the required national and European targets, where energy security and new market structure (e.g. digitization, Target Model, emissions) are now emerging as key issues.

Another highly topical issue to be discussed is the need for an integrated national energy strategy for Greece, following the already submitted draft to the European Commission in January 2019 (see Greece’s National Energy and Climate Plan). In particular, it is necessary to develop a broadly-based energy strategy which covers all aspects of the country's energy system - oil, natural gas, electricity, RES and energy efficiency. An overall energy strategy which will take into consideration the need to fully develop all types of indigenous energy resources and the strengthening of the country’s energy security.

The conference will be attended by senior executives, scientists, engineers and energy professionals from all the major Greek energy-related companies and also by policy makers. Participation is also expected from other European countries especially from SE Europe and by international electricity, oil and natural gas companies, RES and energy efficiency firms. Representatives from various leading European energy and industry groups and international organizations will also participate and contribute actively to the proceedings of IENE’s annual conference.

Furthermore, the acceleration of hydrocarbon exploration activities in Greece and in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the attempt to diversify regional gas imports through new pipelines (e.g. TANAP-TAP) and LNG terminals, the role of Greece in oil and gas transportation at regional level, the rapid penetration of RES in Greece’s energy mix and in SEE countries, as well as the importance of energy efficiency are issues of particular interest that will be hotly debated at the conference.

The "Energy and Development 2019” conference will be held at the "Eugenides Foundation” conference facilities in Faliron, a short distance from the center of Athens (387, Syngrou Av., 175 64 Athens). Thanks to contributions and support by some of Greece’s leading energy corporations as well as by some well-known international energy companies, the "Energy and Development” conference has evolved over the years as one of the most important events for energy policy and business in Greece and SEEurope.