Energy

The world will continue to rely on fossil fuel to supply the bulk of its energy for decades to come. So, finding ways to reduce the carbon emissions that come from burning these fuels is a major challenge that must be addressed.
An important opportunity for reducing these emissions is through the introduction of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology.

How can we?
There are various technologies already in use to capture the CO2, however implementing CCS on a global scale presents significant challenges in its own right.

Speeding up installation, reducing cost, creating an effective transport infrastructure and overcoming community resistance to local storage facilities are all priorities that need to be addressed.

 If adoption of Carbon Capture and Storage is urgent, then why isn’t it happening faster?

Discussion: If adoption of Carbon Capture and Storage is urgent, then why isn't it happening faster?

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The European Future Energy Forum is the younger relative of the World Future Energy Summit – the energy ‘Davos’ held annually in Abu Dhabi. This event will stage a global forum of leadership coming together to discuss key issues around sustainable and alternative energy solutions and technologies.

Location: ExCeL, London

Discussion:

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The 2010 European Business Summit was 30 June - 1 July and included the Presidents' Debate, a high-level energy panel, and a gala dinner.Read more

We are in Freiburg, a city of around 220,000 people, a city which committed itself to green energy 20 years ago. What do the city fathers think will be the future of energy in the next 20 years? Freiburg has already reduced its GHG emissions by a substantial amount. Freiburg encourages the use of solar and methane gas which generates base load electricity  (which is on all the time). The suburb of Vauban is vehicle free, people willingly have given up their cars for bicycles. How could Freiburg become a model of energy efficiency that every city in the world can learn from.

Discussion: By how much should we expect renewables to replace fossil fuels over the next 20 years?

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Programme: Energy: the Next 20 Years Part 1.

Live Debate: After Copenhagen: the next steps

Recent developments in the gas sector in the US have the potential to change radically the energy situation in Europe. New technology has made unconventional gas resources available at competitive cost.

In North America, this sudden expansion of available gas has contributed to keeping gas prices low, despite ever rising demand. It has also helped the US to pursue its strategic objective of reducing its dependence on gas imports. Furthermore, the boom in unconventional gas in the US has changed the dynamics of markets for liquefied natural gas (LNG), with some supplies originally intended for the US being diverted to other markets including some in Europe.

As some European regions, particularly in Northern Europe, have similar geological structures to ones where unconventional gas has been found in North America, there are hopes that unconventional gas could offer the European Union a huge increase in domestic supplies. Energy companies have been rushing to explore the possibilities in these regions, leading to talk of a new ‘gas rush’.

For countries such as Poland, which are heavily dependent on Russian gas imports and rely on coal for most of their domestic energy production, unconventional gas could open a new chapter in energy policy. It would make domestic energy supply more secure, and reduce CO2 emissions since burning gas emits significantly less CO2 than burning coal.

A boom in unconventional gas would also have considerable implications for the EU’s energy policy. Abundant gas supplies – through increased domestic production or cheaper LNG imports – would make it easier to reach CO2 reduction targets and to electrify transport. It could also lower incentives to invest in some costly infrastructure projects, and make some technologies less attractive.

Sceptics warn of exaggerated enthusiasm, stressing that in a more densely populated continent than the US, public acceptance of projects that are likely to have heavy environmental consequences cannot be taken for granted. Unconventional gas extracted from European territory is not expected to come to market for at least a decade.

This event looked at the potential of unconventional gas to transform the European energy supply situation. It addressed the technological and economic challenges unconventional gas faces as well as the questions of public acceptance.

Feedback Form: Fill out the event feedback form here

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Presentation: Unconventional Gas by Alan Riley

Feedback Form: Fill out the event feedback form here

Discussion: To what extent should we encourage the growth of wind energy in our future energy mix?

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Discussion: If the transition to electric vehicles is so important, then why isn’t it happening faster?

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Live Debate: Can Europe de-carbonise transport?

Discussion: As well as seeking alternative fuels, should we be changing our entire transportation culture?

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The issue: The COP15 conference was widely seen as a setback for the EU. The agreement that was reached fell short of the global deal to replace the Kyoto protocol that the EU had sought.

What lessons should the EU draw from Copenhagen? Can the EU still be a driving force in global climate politics? Should the EU continue to push for a global agreement, or should it consider other options, such as bilateral agreements? Should it even take unilateral action, as advocated by some European stakeholders, and increase its emissions reduction target from 20% to 30% without waiting for the US and China to follow? Is a global deal still possible, and when might it be reached?

These are just some of the questions that Comment:Visions invites you to debate with a panel of senior EU decision-makers and stakeholders.

Discussion: After COP 15, who or what will drive the push towards developing clean energy?

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Live Debate - After Copenhagen: the next steps

The COP15 conference was widely seen as a setback for the EU. The agreement that was reached fell short of the global deal to replace the Kyoto protocol that the EU had sought.

The summit also revealed the limits of EU influence. The EU, which had been instrumental in getting the Kyoto protocol agreed, was unable to shape a deal in Copenhagen, outmanoeuvred by the US and China.

What lessons should the EU draw from Copenhagen? Can the EU still be a driving force in global climate politics? Should the EU continue to push for a global agreement, or should it consider other options, such as bilateral agreements?

These are just some of the questions that Comment:Visions invites you to debate with a panel of senior EU decision-makers and stakeholders.

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