Belgrade was the city which hosted this year’s “SE Europe Energy Dialogue”, IENE’s long established event focusing on the regional energy agenda, which took place on June 13-14, 2017. “Connecting SE Europe’s Energy Markets” was the special theme for this year’s SEEED, signifying the tremendous effort now taking place in connecting regional energy markets in more ways than one
Belgrade was the city which hosted this year’s "SE Europe Energy Dialogue”, IENE’s long established event focusing on the regional energy agenda, which took place on June 13-14, 2017. "Connecting SE Europe’s Energy Markets” was the special theme for this year’s SEEED, signifying the tremendous effort now taking place in connecting regional energy markets in more ways than one.
IENE’s recently published major study, the "SE Europe Energy Outlook 2016/2017”, was also presented, for the first time at regional level,at the "10th SE Europe Energy Dialogue”. The Institute’s annual conference once more brought together high-ranking government officials, senior business executives and energy experts from all countries of S.E. Europe and beyond.
The 10th SEEED started on Tuesday, June 13, with opening remarks by Mr. John Chadjivassiliadis, Chairman of IENE. During this opening session, which was chaired by the Institute’s Executive Director, Mr. Costis Stambolis, Dr. Branko Kovacevic (President of EPS Supervisory Board, Serbia) and Mr. Manolis Panagiotakis (Chairman and CEO, Public Power Corporation, Greece) were the keynote speakers. A lively discussion followed, with useful insights into each corporation’s business challenges.
The first session, on the international and regional perspectives, was chaired by Mr. Nikola Radovanovic (Chief Legal Officer for EU Legislation, EU Liaison Office, CEO Office, NIS Gazprom Neft, Serbia). The speakers of this session included Dr. Yurdakul Yigitguden (Independent Energy Consultant and Former Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environment Activities, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Turkey), Dr. Narsi Ghorban (Secretary to the Environment and Energy Commission of the International Chamber of Commerce, Iran), Prof. Dr. Ionut Purica (Executive Director, Advisory Center for Energy and Environment, Romanian Academy, Romania), Ms. Dragana Orlic (Deputy Director, Electricity Coordinating Center -EKC, Serbia). A panel discussion with the participation of above speakers and Mr. Milan Zdravkovic (DSO Executive Director, PE SRBIJAGAS, Serbia) and Dr. Branko Kovacevic, followed.
Chaired by Dr. Hans Hutta (General Manager, International Center for Petroleum & Industrial Management -ICM, Austria), the second session focused on the changing regional energy landscape and key policy issues. During this session Costis Stambolis, Executive Director of IENE, presented the Institute’s major study project, the "SE Europe Energy Outlook 2016/17”. The findings and main conclusions of the study were discussed by a panel comprising by Dr. Dusko Tubic (Director, Security Coordination Centre, Serbia), Mr. Gus Papamichalopoulos (Secretary General, IENE, Partner, KG Law Firm, Greece), Prof. Dr. Ionut Purica (Executive Director, Advisory Center for Energy and Environment, Romanian Academy, Romania) and Mr. Nenad Stefanovic (Senior Expert for Electricity, Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia -AERS, Serbia).
The proceedings of the second day (Wednesday, June 14, 2017) of IENE’s 10th SEEED started with the third session, on the electricity market priorities and regional integration. Covering a wide range of subjects, icluding electricity market operation, CACM early implementation, regulatory and legal issues, cross border electricity trading, grid expansion andpower exchanges, this session, chaired by Mr. Nenad Stefanovic, was divided into two parts. Mr. David Zarkovic (Manager for Electricity Trading, EPS, Serbia), Mr. Andreas Mitafidis (Director of Energy Trading Department, PPC, Greece), Mr. Milos Mladenovic (Managing Director, SEEPEX, Serbia) and Dr. Nick Frydas (Senior Energy Specialist, Energy & Resources Efficiency Advisory Services, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group, Serbia) were the speakers of the first part. The second part included Dr. Vesna Borozan (Professor Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, University of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, FYROM), Mr. Aleksandar Mijuskovic (Executive Director Coordinated Auction Office in South East Europe, SEECAO, Montenegro) and Mr. Dragan Vignjevic (General Manager, Statkraft, Serbia).
The critical issues facing RES and energy efficiency in SE Europe, with
a special focus on energy efficiency and innovative applications in the
building sector and in industry, RES prospects and energy storage and new
funding schemes for RES, were the main subjects covered by the conference’s
fourth session. Dr. Vesna Borozan chaired this session, while speakers included
Mr. Costas Theofylaktos (Chairman, COGEN Greece, Chairman of the Energy
Efficiency Committee and Member of the BoD, IENE, Greece), Dr. Yurdakul
Yigitguden (Independent Energy Consultant and Former Co-ordinator of OSCE
Economic and Environment Activities, Organization for Security and Co-operation
in Europe, Turkey), Mr. Marijan Rancic (Energy Specialist, International
Finance Corporation, World Bank Group, Serbia), Prof. Milos Banjac (Assistant
Minister, Sector for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Mining
and Energy, Serbia), Mr. Aleksandar Macura (Chairman of the Board, RES
Foundation, Serbia) and Mr. Nicholaos Sofianos (Head of Research, IENE, Greece).
The fifth session, on the challenges and opportunities of SE Europe’s expanding
natural gas market, focused especially on Major Gas Interregional Projects in
the region, the Expanded Southern Corridor and the role of East Med Gas, as
well as on gas interconnectors and market integration, energy security issues
and the role of LNG. Chaired by Mr. Petar Maksimovic (Secretary General, Energy
Agency of the Republic of Serbia -AERS, Serbia), speakers included Mr.
Aleksandar Κovacevic (Energy Expert, Serbia), Dr. Nikolaos Farantouris (General
Counsel & Head of Legal, DEPA, Greece, Chair of Legal Affairs Committee,
EUROGAS, Belgium), Mr. Vladimir Durovic (Energy Expert, Croatia), Mr. Jovica
Budimir (Investment Executive Director, PE SRBIJAGAS, Serbia) and Mr. Stamatios
Koutsoukos (Process Coordinator, Asprofos Engineering, Greece).
Chaired by Mr. Milan Zdravkovic, the sixth, session covered issues concerning energy investments and business opportunities in SE Europe. More particularly, major energy investment projects in the region, demand-side management, investment opportunities and environmental issues were examined during this session, with the participation of Mr. Nikola Radovanovic, Mr. Pavlos Baxevani,( Director of Business Development Dpt, PPC, Greece), Mr. Ilia Gjermani (Head, Regulatory and Management Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy, Albania), Dr. Christos Papadopoulos (Regional Director Europe, Energy Exemplar, UK), Mr. Vuk Radovic (General Manager in EKO SERBIA A.D., Member of the Hellenic Petroleum Group, Serbia) and Ms. Milica Pesteric (Senior Associate, BDK, SEE Legal, Serbia).
Confronting energy poverty in SE Europe was the topic of the seventh and final session of IENE’s 10th SEEED, chaired by Prof. Dimitrios Mavrakis (Director, Energy Policy and Development Centre of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece). Focusing on energy poverty in SE Europe, energy efficiency measures, financial support schemes and access to electricity and heating fuel, this session took place with Mr. Savvas Politis (Scientific Project Officer, European Commission, DG Joint Research Center, Directorate C: Energy, Transport & Climate, Unit C.7: Knowledge for Energy Union, The Netherlands), Mr. Mihailo Mihailovic (Energy Expert, Serbia), Mr. Nikola Tomasovic (Energy Consultant, NIRAS International Consulting, Serbia), Mr. George Lantzas (PPC Albania Sh.A), Mr. Costas Theofylaktos and Prof. Ksenija Petovar (Belgrade, Serbia).
The 10th SE Europe Energy Dialogue was organized under the auspices of Serbia’s Ministry of Energy and Mining. Greece’s Public Power Corporation S.A. and Serbia’s NIS Gazprom Neft were the conference’s leading sponsors. Hellenic Petroleum S.A. and Greece’s Public Gas Corporation S.A. were the event’s sponsors, whereas its supporters were PE SRBIJAGAS, KG Law Firm and SEE Legal. Energia.gr,SEE News, New Europe and Balkan Green Energy News were the conference’s Media Partners.
The presentations of the 10th SEEED will soon be available to all conference participants and IENE members via a special microsite.
