Power system roadmap to a net-zero 2050: Coordinate, Cooperate, Innovate

Over the last years pivotal role of the electricity sector has become clear, and in particular the need for a well functioning and stronger grid. But the pathway to a sustainable power system is an opportunity to transform our industrial eco-system to one that is geographically independent and even more, leading in the global transformation to carbon neutrality.

During this one day event, top thought leaders and industrialists will gather to discuss the needs and steps to deploy the carbon neutral power system at the centre of the carbon neutral energy supply. The core elements of the sessions are built around the concepts of coordination between countries, the cooperation between stakeholders (industry, policy makers and academia, cross-border) and the need for accelerated research and innovation.

The workshop will assemble key take-aways that will be shared with the council of ministers under the Belgian Presidency of the Council of European Union.

Organized by: EnergyVille Etch, DCforEU and the EU Set plan IWG HVDC and DC Technologies

Supported by the Belgian Presidency of the council of the EU

Programme

• 09.30: Opening
• 09.45: Opening address by Flemish Minister of Innovation Jo Brouns
• 10.00: Panel 1: Power system as the centre of a carbon neutral energy system
  • Speakers:
    • Pieter Vingerhoets, Expert Energy & Climate Strategy at EnergyVille/VITO
    • Maarten Konings, Teamlead Extra High Voltage System Development at Elia
  • Moderator:
    • Ronnie Belmans, Emeritus Professor at KU Leuven and Advisor to EnergyVille
• 10.50: Panel 2: Critical Raw Materials
  • Speakers:
    • Bernd Wunder, Group Manager DC Grids at IIS Fraunhofer
    • Christian Kjaer, Chief Public Affairs Officer at SuperNode
    • Dries De Sloovere, R&D Project Leader at EnergyVille/imec/UHasselt
  • Moderator:
    • Gerrit Jan Schaeffer, General Manager EnergyVille
• 11.40: Panel 3: Net Zero industrial act
  • Speakers:
    • Franz Hörzenberger, Head of European Affairs at Arcelor Mittal
    • Sofie Cuypers, Public Affairs Advisor at Port of Antwerp-Bruges
    • Joris Valee, Researcher Smart Energy and Built Environment at EnergyVille/VITO
  • Moderator:
    • Wouter Nijs, Senior Researcher at EnergyVille/VITO
• 12.30: Lunch & Networking
• 13.20: Key note: connecting EU targets with the grid by Mark van Stiphout, Deputy Head of Unit New Energy Technologies, Innovation and Clean Coal, European Commission
• 13.40: Panel 4: Grid Action Plan
  • Speakers:
    • Mauro Monge, Global Product Manager at Hitachi Energy
    • Vasiliki Klonari, Head of Energy System Integration at WindEurope and representative of ETIPWind
    • Hakan Ergun, Research Expert at EnergyVille/KU Leuven
  • Moderator:
    • Nicoloas Cutululis, Professor at DTU
• 14.40: Coffee break
• 15.00: Panel 5: Research and development needs for grid
  • Speakers:
    • Bruno Luscan, Chief Technology Officer at SuperGrid Institute
    • Antonello Monti, Professor and Institute Director at RWTH Aachen University and President of CRESYM
    • Uros Sabolir, Chair of the Research, Development & Innovation Committee at ENTSO-E
    • Dirk Van Hertem, Director Etch Competence Hub of EnergyVille, professor at KU Leuven and and Co-chair of IWG on HVDC (SET Plan HVDC and DC technologies)
  • Moderator:
    • Frederik Loeckx, CEO at Flux50
• 16.00: Conclusions and key take-aways for EU presidency
  • By the panel moderators
  • Received by Bram De Wispelaere, Deputy chief of Cabinet at Cabinet Federal Minister of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten
• 16.20: closing reception offered by the EnergyVille Energy Transmission Competence Hub (Etch)