| Agenda - March 3rd, 2011 |
| 8:00 | Coffee and registration |
| 8:40 | Introduction from the Chair |
| | Paul Cunningham, Environmental Correspondent, RTE |
| 8:45 | Opening Address |
| | Padraig McManus, Chief Executive, ESB |
| 8.50 | MINISTERIAL ADDRESS: Policy Drivers and action plans for accelerating Ireland’s Renewable Energy Programme |
| | * The National Renewable Energy Action Plan
* How Ireland can achieve a dynamic energy export industry |
| | Eamon Ryan, TD, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources |
| 9:00 | OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS: The next oil shock? |
| Oil and gas are finite resources formed in the geological past, meaning that they are subject to depletion. Low-cost reserves of oil are being rapidly exhausted, forcing oil companies to turn to more expensive and difficult sources. This is driving the price of oil higher, meaning that there is a risk that the world economy may be at the start of a cycle of supply crunches leading to price spikes and recessions, followed by recoveries and further crunches. The advent of Peak Oil is accordingly a turning point for Mankind which deserves prime attention. What are the implications for Ireland? We are already in a severe recession and must continue to invest and develop Renewable Energy to reduce our dependence on dwindling and costly imports. industry |
| | Dr Colin Campbell, Founder and Honorary Chairman of The Association for the Study of Peak Oil (“ASPO”), which now has affiliates in more than thirty countries including Ireland |
| 9:25 | Future investment and development opportunities in the Renewables Market |
| - The recession and its impact on investment in this sector
- Where are the opportunities to invest now?
- What is driving investment?
- Future projects and growth sectors
- Procurement processes and the essential criteria to win work
|
| | Jim Barry, CEO, NTR |
| 9:50 | Challenges for Renewable Energy Investment in SEM (Single Electricity Market) |
| - Practical experience of Project Delivery
- ESB Plans and Ambitions
- Emerging Renewable Technologies
|
| | Pat O’Doherty, Executive Director, ESB Energy International |
| 10:15 | Coffee break |
| GROWTH STRATEGIES |
| 10:45 | Securing Ireland’s Renewable Energy future |
| | - A review of Ireland’s energy needs and the role electricity will play in delivering them in the future
- How Ireland can create a phased energy export infra structure
- Understanding the key building blocks to achieving this
- Focus on the key sustainability infrastructure, operation and associated economic requirements
|
| | Dermot Byrne, CEO, EIRGRID |
| 11:05 | A New Era of Sustainability: From Issues to Solutions |
| | Companies first adopted sustainable practices in response to external influences, from regulators and customers—but it rapidly became apparent that these practices delivered real business benefits and competitive advantage. In boardrooms everywhere there is now the understanding that the interlinked social, environmental and economic strands of sustainability are essential elements of ongoing high performance, customer satisfaction and business success. This session will explore global views on sustainability with particular focus on renewable energy programmes and the view from the customer. |
| | Peter Lacy, Managing Director, Sustainability Services, EALA, Accenture |
| 11:30 | KEYNOTE ADDRESS: What the IDA can do to help accelerate projects? |
| An overview of the IDA’s Strategy, Horizon 2020. How emerging business segments such as Renewable Energy can learn from the evolution and global success of other sectors in Ireland such as ICT, Life Sciences and Financial Services |
| Barry O’Leary, Chief Executive Officer, IDA |
| 11:50 | Delivering on the Potential: From Inception to Realisation |
| Delivering on the established potential for renewable energy, particularly along our West Coast, is now an urgent National priority. - Challenge - Moving from Dream to Deliverable.
- Leadership -The Role of the Local Authority.
- Planning – A Framework for effective project delivery.
- Partnership – An approach to Community Involvement.
- Integration – A vision for the near future. A planning framework for effective project delivery, future growth and optimism
|
| | Peter Hynes, County Manager, Mayo County Council |
| 12:20 | Lunch |
| 1:35 | Welcome back from the Chair |
| | Paul Cunningham, Environmental Correspondent, RTE |
| INNOVATION AND BEST PRACTICE |
| 1:40 | Energy economics: a consumer’s viewpoint |
| - Renewable and non renewable sources
- Energy sources and energy vectors
- Energy density and economic return
- Return on energy invested
- The Smart Grid as the ultimate energy vector
|
| | Jerry Sweeney, Director Of Operations, Cork Internet Exchange |
| 2:05 | Opportunities for Offshore Wind development in Ireland |
| - Exploring the potential for offshore wind to contribute to 2020 renewable targets
- How can companies expand into offshore wind with onshore experience?
- What is the present time scale for the start and completion of projects?
- The importance of securing supply chains
- Is planning still the domestic obstacle for construction
- What can IWEA members do to start getting ready for energy export – what action plan needs to take place
|
| | Dr Michael Walsh, CEO, Irish Wind Energy Assoc, (IWEA) |
| 2:30 | Scaling up Ireland’s Energy Industry for large scale energy export |
| - What is driving forward development and interest?
- Technical Infrastructure
- Commercial Infrastructure
- Legal Infrastructure
- Financial Infrastructure
|
| | Graham O’Donnell, Spirit of Ireland |
| 2:50 | Realising the Potential of Offshore Renewable Energy |
| - Potential Renewable Resources off the Irish Coast
- Likely Impact of the ISLES Project
- Potential for Integration and Replication with European Networks
|
| | PJ Rudden, Group Energy & Environment Director, RPS |
| 3:15 | Afternoon break |
| INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE |
| 3:40 | Northern Ireland Renewables – The growth of the sector and the Opportunities ahead |
| Tracy Meharg is Managing Director, Innovation & Capability Development (ICD) of Invest Northern Ireland. The ICD group has responsibility for the promotion of innovation in Northern Ireland companies across the spectrum of research and development, design, trade promotion, business improvement and knowledge management. A key sector targeted by the group is the renewable sector. |
| | Tracy Meharg is Managing Director, Innovation & Capability Development (ICD) of Invest Northern Ireland |
| 4.05 | PANEL DISCUSSION with Q&A: How can Ireland ‘fast-track’ to a new energy age? |
| | Effective policy measures are critical to driving competition, investment and economic viability for Ireland’s Energy Industry. How will Ireland’s policy makers ensure sufficient investment for future viability? What’s next on the horizon – how do we achieve a dynamic energy export industry? How do we consolidate markets? Where are the opportunities for export? What are the key solutions for rapid growth and delivery in the new economy? Regulation V’s Implementation
Panellists will include leading industry figures including: |
| | - Brian Motherway, Chief Operations Officer, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
- Martin Finucane, Principal Officer, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Gerry Duggan, Irish Academy of Engineering
|
| 4:50 | Locknote Address: Power Storage: the ‘holy grail’ |
| This session will explore the challenges in storing energy at large scale and discuss how the Spirt of Ireland project uses unusual geographic features of the West of Ireland to create large scale pumped hydro storage, and turn intermittent wind into dispatchable power at low cost. |
| | Fergal Murray, Managing Director, NHE Ltd |
| 5:15 | Chairpersons closing remarks |
| 5:25 | Conference Close |