Major Glasgow event powers up renewables sector with positive energy

There’s not long to wait until All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference and the co-located Dcarbonise open at Glasgow’s SEC (15-16 May). 

The aisles and conference halls will be packed to the proverbial gunwales for what long ago was termed ‘the renewables AGM’ that now it prides itself on acting as a catalyst to engineering a net zero future.

Some 270 exhibiting companies from home and overseas embracing all sources of renewable energy will be displaying products, services and ideas that enable the industry to get ever closer to that net zero target; while Dcarbonise, with the same aim in mind, encompasses the all-important work in progress, or planned, of decarbonising the built environment, heat, cities/places, industry, and transport. 

All elements of the show – the major exhibition, the multi streamed conference, show floor theatres, Civic Reception and Giant Networking Evening (sponsored by Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa) – are free to attend for those with relevant business, or academic interests. 

The 2023 edition of the annual series attracted total attendance of 9.706 – a 27% increase on the 2022. Online registration at www.all-energy.co.uk/newsquest is quick and easy, as well over 2,000 people have already discovered this year. 

“Politicians, industry leaders, working engineers and academic specialists abound in the stellar line-up of 600+ speakers in the 11 conference halls and rooms and nine show floor theatres over the two days. All are working towards engineering a net zero future,” explained Jonathan Heastie, Portfolio Director Energy & Marine, RX Global, who own and organise the duo of co-located events.

“They range from Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf MSP, and Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work Minister, Gillian Martin MSP (one on each day), through to a veritable who’s who of experts delivering major plenary sessions to start each day and 55 technical sessions as well as nine show floor theatres. Indeed, just a few days ago we were delighted to hear that Husain Al Meer, Director, Global Offshore Wind & UK for Masdar would be completing our line-up of luminaries in the opening plenary session.

“Masdar has a target of reaching 100 GW of power by 2030. To achieve that, the Abu Dhabi-based company is seeking a range of opportunities, with the UK hitting the right mix. On 29 February they completed their acquisition of a 49% stake in the 3 GW Dogger Bank South offshore wind farm and will work on the £11 billion project with RWE. 

“RWE’s Director of Offshore Development UK and Ireland will coincidentally be speaking in ‘Delivering our offshore ambitions’, the offshore wind session immediately following the opening plenary session. 

“Sponsored by our decade-long Headline Sponsor Shepherd and Wedderburn, it also features Jonathan Cole, CEO of Corio Generation; Tim Pick, Chair of the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership and former UK Offshore Wind Champion; Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables; and Adam Bruce recently appointed as its first Senior Fellow by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) to support global work delivering the rapid upscale of wind energy deployment, it demonstrates the superb calibre of speaker All-Energy attracts across the board.”

As well as offshore wind, the full conference programme encompasses all other forms of renewable energy – onshore wind, solar, bioenergy, marine renewables (tidal stream and wave), hydropower and tidal range.

Naturally it also includes hydrogen and energy storage; investment – in a session entitled ‘The Bear and the Butterfly’; and the PPA Market,– including a view from Amazon; supply chain; the circular economy in energy; future talent (including jobs, skills and training); community and local energy; and much more, plus full coverage of the Dcarbonise range of subjects. 

Shepherd and Wedderburn have made some interesting session contributions including clean tech innovation; port infrastructure and investment; and the role of regulation in getting to net zero as well as their more usual topics of offshore wind and city/place decarbonisation, demonstrating the breadth of topics they and All-Energy and Dcarbonise share.

GLASGOW TO THE FORE
GLASGOW features firmly in both days’ plenary sessions with the Lord Provost invited to give the Civic Welcome on Day One and The Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Susan Aitken speaking on achievements made, and others to come, as aiming for net zero determines our futures.  

The Day Two plenary session, chaired by Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor of Strathclyde University sees a ‘Meet the Minister, slot for Ms Martin followed by ‘Delivering a net zero electricity system – how do we build a supply chain’ signifying how seriously All-Energy is taking the huge investment plan in the future of Britain’s energy system.

Then at lunchtime Sir Jim will have a ‘fireside chat’ with another legend of the energy industry Sir Ian Wood, Chair of ETZ Ltd.

And no All-Energy/Dcarbonise is complete without a stimulating session from the University of Strathclyde’s Centre for Energy Policy (CEP). This year there are two, one on each day. 

The first is ‘What are the equity challenges in delivering actions to reduce energy demand?’ and on the second day they turn their attention to ‘What will establishing a CO2 transport and storage industry in Scotland mean for the economy and society?’ in the industry decarbonisation conference stream. Intriguing, and appetite whetting, descriptions of both, and of many more sessions, are online. 

“It is well-worth going online not only to register to attend, but also to research the exhibitors you want to meet up with (something you will be able to do via the show’s App); and pore over the conference programme and mark those sessions you view as unmissable to help you build your overall visit plan,” said Jonathan Heastie. “What’s more you can read about RX’s steps to sustainability as organisers. 

“We look forward to seeing you in mid-May.”

www.all-energy.co.uk

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Calling all engineers charging ahead to net zero

ENGINEERS in their thousands dedicated to a net zero future attend All-Energy – and the co-located Dcarbonise – to see and hear about innovative solutions in the exhibition and to learn from experts in the conference where they can also contribute to the discussion.

“This year the conference programme sees a marked increase in the number of sessions devoted to grid and networks,” said Jonathan Heastie, Portfolio Director of Energy & Marine at RX, pictured below.

“My conference colleagues made good use of last summer’s report by Nick Winser, the UK's Electricity Networks Commissioner, with its clear recommendations feeling it provided something of a ‘recipe for success’. 

“It ran alongside the build up to the launch of National Grid ESO’s investment plan for the future energy system. ‘Beyond 2030’ proposes a £58 billion investment in the electricity grid to meet the growing and decarbonising demand for electricity in Great Britain by 2035. 

“The investment will allow Britain to exploit the economic potential as a leader in offshore wind by moving the power to where it is needed.  

“The plan embraces the connection of a further 21 GW of offshore wind in development off the coast of Scotland to the grid in an efficient and coordinated way. This would mean that there would be 86 GW of offshore wind making Britain a global leader in offshore wind and floating offshore windfarms.”

He explained: “One large conference room has been set aside for grid and network related sessions, starting with the scene setting ’The keys to the energy transition’, with Professor Keith Bell, Scottish Power Professor of Future Power Systems, Strathclyde University in the chair and with panellists including Chris Burchell, Managing Director of 
SSEN Distribution, Emma Pinchbeck, CEO of Energy UK, and Mel Macrae, Head of Energy Strategy and Markets Unit, Scottish Government as panellists .

“Then we look at the new National Energy System Operator (NESO) which comes into operation later this year, I am delighted that its COO, Kayte O’Neill will be with us to tell us more about it in a session with panellists from the Energy System Catapult, Ofgem and University of Strathclyde taking part.

“Next comes a re-run of a highly successful 2023 session on ‘connections’; an ‘Update on detailed network design for 2030 offshore wind targets and network plan to facilitate the 2035 carbon free power system’; and a look at grid and networks supply chain and skills challenges and opportunities.

“Elsewhere in our conference rooms the ‘Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA)’ will be in the spotlight, followed by ‘The role of Regulation in getting to net zero: Challenges and opportunities’. 

The all-important issue of ‘Community benefits for transmission infrastructure’ reflects Recommendation 13 in the Winser Report, which states ‘A clear and public set of guidelines for Community benefit should be established’.  

There is also the CEP’s ‘The equity challenges in delivering actions to reduce energy demand’ session to look forward to; and one specifically requested by Ofgem on cyber security and transmission infrastructure, and of course, the Day 2 plenary session mentioned above.”

At the end of Day One’s proceedings, it is networking time, at the Civic Reception at the Glasgow Science Centre (held with thanks to the Rt Hon Lord Provost of Glasgow), merges with the Giant Networking Evening sponsored by Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa, an invaluable feature of All-Energy.

“There will certainly be plenty to talk about!” added Heastie.

www.all-energy.co.uk