Press release

Major EU energy conference in Dublin

EURELECTRIC Conference examines the challenges of a "New Energy World".

Industry and governments across the Continent must take urgent action if emissions targets are to be met on time, an energy conference in Dublin has been told.

Europe's energy chiefs attending the conference at Dublin's RDS have said that a range of measures, including energy conservation and resources management, increased renewables and nuclear power, the early development of carbon capture, "smart" grids and more efficient electricity markets can combine to ensure "far reaching cuts" in Europe's greenhouse gas emissions.

The two day Conference beginning today (Mon, June 14th) is attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen, the leaders of Europe's major energy utilities and over 400 delegates from utilities across the Continent.

The Conference is examining ways of achieving cleaner and more secure electricity as well as how new technologies, linked by smart data systems, can deliver the climate change goals set down by Europe's leaders.

The measures are outlined in a new report "Power Choices, Pathway to Carbon-neutral Electricity in Europe by 2050" unveiled at the EURELECTRIC annual conference, hosted by ESB and the National Electricity Association of Ireland.

Eurelectric President Lars G. Josefsson said that, aided by the development of new technologies, smarter networks, and a new energy mix, customers can play a more active role in managing their energy consumption and achieve a secure and carbon-neutral power supply.

Mr Josefsson told the Conference that the European electricity sector can, with the deployment of major low carbon technologies, begin to make deep cuts in carbon emissions from 2025 onwards.

"To achieve this, support from policymakers and stakeholders and an international climate change agreement are crucial to maintain the competitiveness of European industry", he said.

Relying on market mechanisms such as emissions trading constitutes the most cost-effective way to attain this objective, he added.

Mr Josefsson emphasised that increasing the share of renewable energy sources "will lead to major challenges for the European power industry". The increased production from renewables will be based, to a large extent, on wind and solar power.

These are by their nature intermittent and unevenly distributed geographically. Delivering renewables at least cost for customers will only be achieved if it is combined with an EU-wide electricity market and early investments in new grids throughout Europe.

"Policy-makers need to ensure that electricity markets are restructured to accommodate a large penetration of renewables", Mr Josefsson pointed out.

'Smart' meters can help customers to be much more efficient in managing their power consumption in their homes and businesses. They will also improve the management of the distribution grids.

"Achieving a carbon-neutral Europe will only come with a paradigm shift in energy provision and use", Mr Josefsson emphasised. "It will also require public support for new technologies, not only for smart grids and smart metering, but also for carbon capture and storage and second generation nuclear power plants".

"The carbon-neutrality objective cannot be reached without an active role from policymakers. Their contribution is key to drive the transition to a low-carbon power supply through market-based incentives and their support for new technologies", Mr Josefsson concluded.

ESB Chief Executive, Padraig McManus, said that in spite of the current global economic climate, we cannot lose sight of the necessity to invest in infrastructure and pursue climate change goals. Proceeding with measures to deal with emissions can provide enormous employment opportunities in terms of developing renewables, smart infrastructure and technologies as well as widescale energy efficiency measures, he said

"A key objective for the energy industry is to ensure that, in building infrastructure, supporting technological developments, mapping out greater integration and implementing efficiencies, we also create jobs", he said.

*Available on www.eurelectric.org/PowerChoices2050

Ends

For further Information, please contact:

ESB	Maol Muire Tynan, Public Affairs Manager. Tel: +353-1-87-8286907 Email: maolmuire.tynan@esb.ie
Eurelectric	Karine Milheiro, Communication Strategy Office Tel: +32-478-68-07-80 Email: kmilheiro@eurelectric.org

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