IFIEC ENERGY FORUM

Securing competitive low carbon energy for industry: short-term and long-term perspectives

European industries recently faced unprecedented challenges: Russian invasion of Ukraine, gas shortage, exceptionally high gas and electricity prices, additional intermittent renewables, increased role of grid operators, future of nuclear plants, ambitious - but often unilateral - climate policies... All those energy and climate related challenges have a direct influence on the environmental performance and socio-economic situation of the EU industry. They also often create competition distortions within Europe and competitive disadvantages compared to their competitors in the rest of the world: North and South America, Middle East, Australia, … This structural handicap seriously jeopardizes industrial activities and further development in Europe.

 As requested by the Antwerp Declaration (https://antwerp-declaration.eu/), signed today by more than 1280 organisations and 25 industrial sectors, the new EU Commission will be responsible for setting up an efficient industrial policy enabling energy transition, carbon neutrality while protecting employment in Europe and strategic autonomy. This will only be possible via a secure supply of decarbonised energy at internationally competitive prices and agile access to sufficient funding covering both capital and operating costs at plant level as well as technology neutral pan-European infrastructures (electricity grids, gas and hydrogen networks, including cross-borders connections, infrastructures for CO₂ capture, transport, utilisation and storage). Several Member States successfully introduced national energy measures to protect their critical industrial sectors during the recent crisis.

 IFIEC Europe, the International Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers, is willing to continue a constructive dialogue with all relevant EU and national officials as well as all key stakeholders.

In this context, Peter Claes, President of IFIEC Europe is delighted to invite you to our annual Forum on 28 November 2024 in Brussels.

 Several keynote speakers will discuss all those challenges with industry representatives in order to actively contribute to effective solutions maintaining competitive industrial sectors in Europe in a sustainable manner while ensuring Europe strategic autonomy.

INFORMATION & REGISTRATION:
Isabelle Chaput: chaput@ifieceurope.org

Participation is FREE OF CHARGE, but registration is compulsory, based on a “First come, first served principle”. No show fee: € 50,-

The forum will be moderated by Nicolai Romanowski, CEFIC.

 09:30             Registration & Welcome Coffee.

 10:00             Welcome and Introduction: Peter Claes, Chairman of IFIEC Europe: International perspectives on competitiveness of the European industry.

 10:15                KEYNOTE: Mr Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing (invited).

 11:00             Marco Mensink, CEFIC: Antwerp Declaration: status & next steps.

 11:30             Security of Supply & Energy Mix: electricity, gas, LNG, nuclear, H2

Context & Challenges:

MS decisions, availability of (green) H2, competition between end-users for Renewables, development of H2, CO₂ infrastructures permitting procedures, …

Panelists:            Nicolas de Warren – Uniden / IFIEC.

                          Official/ Academic: Dennis Hesseling – International Energy Agency.

                          Actor: Frank Schoonacker – Luminus.

 12:15             Efficient European Energy system to ensure affordability & competitiveness of European industry

Context & Challenges:

MS decisions, full costs of renewables, availability and prices of (green) H2, cross-border connections, off-shore business model, access to finance, de-risking investments, investment costs sharing models, grid tariffs, PPA’s, PPP, liability, scale-up & business cases, jobs …

 Panelists:            Peter Claes: IFIEC – Febeliec / IFIEC.

                          Official / Academic: Francois Beaude, ACER.

                          Actor: Axel Eggert – Eurofer.

 13:00             Lunch & networking.

 14:00             Climate neutrality of European industry by 2050

                     Context & Challenges: MS decisions, ETS 2039, CBAM, CCUS, H2, 2040 goals …

                     INTRO: European Climate Diplomacy, P. Wittoeck – FPS Environment & Climate.

Panelists:            Hans Grünfeld – VEMW / IFIEC.

Official: P. Wittoeck – FPS Environment & Climate.

Academic:  T. Wyns – VUB.

                          Actors: Mats Gustavson – Boliden, Jostein Røynesdal – Norsk Hydro.

 14:45             New legislative mandate of the EC: Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Deputy Director General, DG ENER (invited).

 15:15             KEYNOTE: Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero Emissions, and Clean Grow (invited).

 15:45             Closing Remarks by Peter Claes, Chairman of IFIEC Europe.

 16:00             Cocktail reception.