The Vienna Energy Transition Forum, which is organized by IENE in the Austrian capital on June 6/7, has attracted a diverse number of speakers and panelists from all different branches of the European energy sector and engaged them in two days of intense discussions in an effort to broaden the debate of the Energy Transition agenda. The Vienna Energy Transition Forum, which is organized by IENE in the Austrian capital on June 6/7, has attracted a diverse number of speakers and panelists from all different branches of the European energy sector and engaged them in two days of intense discussions in an effort to broaden the debate of the Energy Transition agenda. In its initiative IENE has been supported by a number of international organizations and leading energy companies including the Vienna based Energy Community, the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the New Nuclear Watch Institute (NNWI), the Central European Gas Hub (CEGH) but also by leading European energy groups including OMV,ENEL, Hellenic Petroleum, EnEx, KG Law firm, EnSCo and others.
The Vienna Energy Transition Forum, has brought together some of the most progressive energy thinkers from across Europe in order to discuss the critical energy and environmental issues and how these can be tackled as the region enters a decarbonisation phase in line with EU goals and international commitments. As IENE's Executive Director, Mr. Costis Stambolis noted in his opening remarks "Our Institute through this Forum aspires to broaden the debate on Energy Transition by giving equal weight to energy branches hitherto considered anathema in discussing the contribution of energy in mitigating climate change. In this context we believe that the role of natural gas, nuclear power and that of the oil and gas must be fully reconsidered in view of the serious merits that each one of them brings in the overall effort for decarbonisation.”
A number of prominent authorities from international energy companies, government bodies and academia addressed this two day high level meeting. A representative cross section of speakers included Tom Van Ierland from the European Commission, Janez Kopac, Energy Community, Dr. Abderrezak Benyoucef from OPEC, Tim Yeo of The New Nuclear Watch Institute (NNWI), Daniel Kroos from the Energy Security Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Dr. Michael Losch, Director General of Energy and Mining Austrian Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism, Mr. George Zazias from the E3Modelling and advisor to the European Commission, Dr. Aliki Van Heek from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr Bas van Ruijven from IIASA, Michael Woltran of OMV, Prof. Andrey Konoplyanik from Gazprom Export and Russian State Gubkin Oil & Gas University, Chris Walters of Gas Strategies, Gerd Pollhammer, SIEMENS, Claudia Brânduș from ENEL, DI Gottfried Steiner from Central European Gas Hub, Dr. Yurdakul Yigitguden, Independent Energy Consultant and Former Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environment Activities, Nick Butler, Chair at King’s Policy Institute, King’s College, London, Ms. Liana Gouta from Hellenic Petroleum, Dr. Charles Ellinas, Atlantic Council, Prof. Reinhard Haas, Technical University of Vienna, Eugenia Gusilov from ROEC, Kaloyan Staykov from the Institute for Market Economics, John Roberts, Energy Security Specialist and many others.
Issues such as the need to decarbonise power generation and yet maintain reliable base load, the role of gas as a fuel of choice and the need for further renewables penetration, under economically competitive terms, were hotly debated in the Vienna Energy Transition Forum. EU 's decarbonisation agenda and Energy Transition roadmap came under scrutiny as a bundle of factors ranging from electricity market integration and grid performance to the slow pace of implementing vital gas interconnections and the role of nuclear power as a realistic alternative capable of delivering emission free base load power generation, were addressed. Another important topic which is often sidelined in Energy Transition fora but which was extensively discussed at the Vienna meeting, is the constructive role that the Oil & Gas industry can play during Energy Transition. What clearly emerged from this top level two day meeting in Vienna was the need for charting a new energy agenda for CE and SEE.
