"Hydrogen, renewables and open borders; the winning hand for a net-zero economy"
Online Panel Discussion with live Q and A
Date: TODAY: July 15, 12.45 to 14.00
Go direct to Zoom registration
Following up on our recent discussion concerning how internal cross-border capacity issues play into the uptake of renewables, this event will look specifically at the much-hyped role of clean hydrogen in realising a practical, clean energy mix which can meet the demands of industry, transport, heating and society as a whole. We will consider the regulatory framework, the supply chain and the market as well as hearing the TSO view direct from our event partner SNAM, Italy.
Event partner:Â SNAMÂ
Why hydrogen?
For scale and storage –
“Electricity networks think in terms of a 1GW interconnector as significant. But in the big picture this is very small. By comparison, pipelines can transmit 30GW equivalent. To have a scalable, dispatchable carbon-free energy resource that complements renewables and means we can power industry and phase-out natural gas and coal we cannot be limited by our electricity networks.”*
Why open borders?
For efficiency (for example, getting more from installed capacity) and for competition in the interest of the consumer –
The ACER recommended 70% target for internal cross-border trade is just part of the equation. Europe has always been dependent on imports. About 50% of our energy comes from overseas and the oil and gas sector has demonstrated that collaborating across a truly international network can work. “A free market will determine where power and/or hydrogen is sourced. If countries outside the EU are able to deliver both more cheaply, the market will go there”.*
These are just two of the umbrella questions we will address. To set up the live Q and A session we will follow this agenda:
- What are the controls? Florian Ermacora (DG Energy) sets out the brand-new strategies for Hydrogen and Sector Integration
- What will European supply look like? Professor Ad van Wijk (TU Delft) presents how he sees the landscape going forward
- TSO view: Giulia Branzi, SNAM Head of International Assets and New Business Regulation, presents Snam’s infrastructure and planning vision fit for the demands of the Italian network including regulatory considerations and necessary market conditions
- Developing the market: Marcel Steinbach of BDEW to look at EU-wide trade considerations to promote competition and access for Hydrogen
- The discussion will be moderated by Erik Rakhou, consultant at Baringa Partners and alternate member of the ACER board of Appeal
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* Comments from Prof. Dr. AD van WIJK (panelist)
Programme:
12.45 – Introduction
12.50 – EU Hydrogen and Sector Integration strategies – European Commission
12.55 – Vision for European energy supply – Prof. Dr. Ad van Wijk
13.00 Â – Infrastructure planning and regulatory considerations – SNAM
13.05 – Market vision – BDEW
13.20 – Q and A
13.55 – Closing remarks
Meet the Panel
ERIK RAKHOU (moderator) â alternate member ACER Board of Appeal and management consultant, Baringa Partners â UK/NETHERLANDS
GIULIA BRANZI – Head of International Assets and New Business Regulation, SNAM – ITALY
Giulia Branzi is the Head of International Assets and New Business Regulation at SNAM, one of the worldâs leading energy infrastructure operators and one of the largest Italian listed companies in terms of market capitalization. Prior to joining SNAM, Giulia has worked as a regulatory economist for the UK water and energy regulators Ofwat and Ofgem, as well as at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, covering energy policy and regulatory issues across the Bankâs Countries of Operation in Central Asia.
AD van WIJK – Independent expert (TU Delft) – NETHERLANDS
Ad van Wijk is a sustainable energy entrepreneur and part-time Professor Future Energy Systems at TU Delft, the Netherlands. He is a member of the Northern Netherlands Innovation Board to realize the energy transition. In 1984, van Wijk founded the company Ecofys, which eventually grew into Econcern. Econcern developed many new sustainable energy products, services and projects. For example the 120 MW offshore wind farm Princess Amalia in the North Sea and several multi-MW solar farms in Spain.
Van Wijk achieved many important prizes for excellent entrepreneurship. Amongst others he was Dutch entrepreneur of the year in 2007 and Dutch top-executive in 2008. At TU Delft van Wijk will focus on the energy systems of the future. Especially he will do research on hydrogen and fuel cell cars and at the same time will realize ââthe Green Villageââ. www.thegreenvillage.org
MARCEL STEINBACH â Head of the Energy Trading Department, German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) â GERMANY
Marcel Steinbach started his career at BHPBilliton working on various projects developing the risk management approach for commodity trading units in the Netherlands, Singapore and South Africa. At this time he gained first insights into energy trading, which he further developed at ThyssenKrupp as a coal trader. He then joined Accenture and specialized in energy trading projects. In 2009, Marcel Steinbach joined the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) where he is Head of the Energy Trading Department being responsible for wholesale market regulation, market design and European integration. Marcel represents BDEW at stakeholder meetings and is member of various committees at Eurelec- tric and Eurogas.
FLORIAN ERMACORA â European Commission, DG Energy â Head of Unit B.2 (Wholesale Markets, Electricity and Gas) â BRUSSELS
From February 2010 to November 2012, Dr. Ermacora was the assistant to the Director General for Energy, Mr. Philip Lowe. From 2012 to 2014, he was Head of the Communication and Inter-institutional Relations Unit of the Directorate General for Energy. Since January 2015, he has been responsible for the Wholesale Electricity and Gas Division as Head of unit B.2