Αll the important aspects at local and global level concerning the role of hydrocarbons in the Energy Transition were examined during a scientific conference jointly organized by the Petroleum Research Institute (FORTH) and the Institute of Energy for South-East Europe (IENE) titled "The Hydrocarbons as part of the energy transition, Facts and Policies” which took place on October 25, 2021, at the KAM Hall in Chania with simultaneous livestreaming.
Αll the important aspects at local and global level concerning the role of hydrocarbons in the Energy Transition were examined during a scientific conference jointly organized by the Petroleum Research Institute (FORTH) and the Institute of Energy for South-East Europe (IENE) titled "The Hydrocarbons as part of the energy transition, Facts and Policies” which took place on October 25, 2021, at the KAM Hall in Chania with simultaneous livestreaming.
The conference focused on the developments regarding the role of hydrocarbons in the energy transition in Greece and Europe. As important changes are taking place it was considered appropriate to hold a discussion at experts’ level with the aim of highlighting the serious challenges that energy transition is facing as we move towards a low emission environment.
A significant number of local actors and a select group of scientists and business executives spoke during the Conference. The conference began with opening remarks by Vassilis Digalakis, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Educational Affairs of the Parliament and MP in Chania with New Democracy, Pavlos Polakis, MP in Chania with SYRIZA, Manousos Voloudakis, MP in Chania with New Democracy, Nikos Kalogeris, Deputy Regional Governor of Crete, Nektarios Tavernarakis, President of FORTH, and Evangelos Diamantopoulos, Rector of the Technical University of Crete.
Interventions were made by Anastasios Vlassopoulos, CEO of the HELPE Upstream and by Teresa Fokianou, CEO of Flow SA and Chairperson of the Hydrocarbons Committee (Upstream) of IENE.
Presentations then followed by Costis Stambolis, Chairman and Executive Director of IENE, by Aristophanes Stefatos, CEO of the Hellenic Hydrocarbons Resources Management SA and by Spyros Bellas, researcher at FORTH/Institute for Petroleum Research.
A series of contributions followed by K. Papaloukas, Energy Policy Specialist and Coordinator of the National Hydrogen Committee, V. Gaganis, Assistant Professor at NTUA and Collaborating Member at FORTH/Institute for Petroleum Research, E. Gontikaki, researcher at FORTH/Institute for Petroleum Research, A. Stoumpos, Director of the Institute of Nuclear & Radiological Sciences and Technology in the NCSR "DEMOKRITOS" and I. Terzidou, Research Fellow at IENE.
Summing up the proceedings of the conference, Prof. Nikos Pasadakis, Director of FORTH / Institute for Petroleum Research and Costis Stambolis, Chairman of IENE, noted that based on the work and analysis presented, it clearly follows that hydrocarbons, and especially natural gas, are part of the solution during energy transition. Therefore, research efforts for new deposits as well as their exploitation must be intensified. Crete is of particular interest because in the south and the west of the island several promising exploration targets have already been identified, located within concessions which involve some of the largest companies in the world, and therefore acceleration of research efforts is of vital importance.
