Local Power Finland and Geode organised a joint seminar in Brussels on the 25th of September 2019. The theme of the seminar was the role of local energy companies in the EU's energy transition.
Local Power Finland's Executive Director Toivo Hurme and Geode's chairman Hans Kreisel opened the seminar and welcomed the group of participants consisting of Brussels' energy policy influencers. Both Hurme and Kreisel noted that the European energy sector is in transition, and that the new policy direction needs to be found in cooperation with other sectors. Local energy companies have a key role in the transition.
Manuel Sánchez Jiménez from the European Commission's DG Energy highlighted in his presentation the opportunities provided by digitalisation. Sánchez Jimenez stated that the development of technology offers the possibility to collect data about how different equipment and processes function and thus improve their interplay and maintenance in general. He believes that sharing and utilising the full benefits of data will be extremely important for the European industry in the future.
Councellor Mikko Holm from the Finland's EU presidency gave an update on the presidency's agenda. According to Holm, Finland aims to advance especially the long term strategic plan Agenda 2030 as well as all related sustainable policy issues in different sectors.
Local companies' knowledge in the spotlight
In addition to Brussels officials, several representatives from European local energy companies presented their innovative projects in the seminar.
Austrian Roman Tobler introduced to the participants the Vienna Smart City Research project, which aims to improve the quality of life of residents and create unique solutions fitting their energy use. KM0.Energy's representative Pep Salas briefed the audience about Spain's energy transition stressing the speed of change and his expectations for the future.
Joona Mörsky from the Finnish Etelä-Savon Energia presented in the seminar an energy consumption management product Foremica.
"Optimisation of consumption, reserves, predicting and monitoring production are issues that will be paid more attention to in the future. Foremica is the answer to these needs", Mörsky said.
MEP Elsi Katainen offered her concluding remarks, stating that the seminar had given an excellent overview of current energy policy questions and possible answers to them.
"It is important to remember that in addition to big actors, local energy companies are needed to reach our energy and climate goals."