For the 5th time, energy leaders convened in Brussels for the European Grid Conference on 19 November 2015. Grid operators and members of civil society, industry and politics discussed three guiding questions this year: How is the digitalisation of the electricity sector shaping and impacting markets, new actors, prosumers and citizens? How will the management and access to big data enable actors to prosper and deliver the energy transition? Are flexibility and demand response the silver bullet of the energy transition?
Digitalisation of text, audio and video has already revolutionised information industries. It is now rapidly entering every sector of the economy. The electric grid is ripe for digital disruption - an existing network of electric cables, which is now seeing a global rollout of digital infrastructure including sensors and smart meters. The electric cable and fibre optic network and wireless internet will connect new and existing digital devices, creating a vast software platform for data collection, and remote monitoring and operation of electricity generation and consumption.
13:00 Registration and lunch reception
14:00 Keynote speeches
- Antonella Battaglini, CEO, Renewables Grid Initiative
- Chris PEETERS, CEO, Elia
14:30 The digitalisation of energy
Gerard Reid, Founder and Managing Partner, Alexa Capital & Bourbaki
1. How digitalisation in the electricity sector is shaping and impacting markets, new actors such as virtual power plants, prosumers and citizens
- Paul KREUTZKAMP, CEO, Next Kraftwerke Belgium
- Isabelle BUSCKE, Head of Brussels Office, Federation of German Consumer Organisations
- John DOYLE, DG CNECT, European Commission
- Colas CHABANNE, WG Market Design & RES Convenor, ENTSO-E
2. Digitalisation is linked to big data. Managing and accessing data will enable actors to prosper and deliver the energy transition. An update on recent developments
- Jukka RUUSUNEN, President and CEO, Fingrid
- Baard EILERTSEN, Founder, Maingate
- Paul-Georg GARMER, Senior Public Affairs Manager, TenneT
16:30 Coffee Break
17:00 Flexibility and demand response: the silver bullet of the energy transition?
- Andreas FLAMM, Director Regulatory Affairs Europe, EnerNOC
- Stephan SINGER, Chairman of the RGI Board and Head Global Energy Policy, WWF International
- Oliver RAPF, Executive Director, Buildings Performance Institute Europe
- Dr. Jörg SPICKER, Head of Market Operations, Swissgrid
17:50 Closing speech: why do we work together?
- Konstantin STASCHUS, Secretary-General, ENTSO-E
- Wendel TRIO, Director, Clime Action Network (CAN) Europe
18:00-19:00 Evening reception