UKWEC past events and presentations
Below you will find descriptions of past UKWEC workshops, including links to presentations where available.
We are much indebted to CMS Cameron McKenna (CMCK),
who hosted most events at their offices at Mitre House, 160 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4DD
14 February 2012
WEC assessment of global energy policies – what does it mean for the UK?
Session Overview and Topics
In order to assess the Global Energy Agenda and its evolution over time, the World Energy Council (WEC) conducts an annual issues survey with the Chairs of its national Member Committees who are Ministers, CEOs and leading experts in over 90 countries. The survey includes about thirty issues covering macroeconomic risks, geopolitics, business environment as well as energy vision in a high-level “helicopter perspective”.
WEC addresses these issues and challenges by: surveying resources and technologies; assessing national energy policies across the world and identifying which policies are effective and transferable to other countries; and exploring possible global energy futures and analyse critical uncertainties.
As the pressure grows to act on climate change and to assist policymakers focus their efforts in managing the trade-offs between three dimensions of the “Energy Trilemma” - energy security, social equity and environmental impact mitigation, WEC has published the 2011 Assessment of Country Energy and Climate Policies. It includes the annual global “Energy Sustainability Index”. Over the past three years this unique ranking has examined over 60 data sets to provide a detailed analysis of 92 countries energy and climate policies.
WEC has also recently published the Global Transport Scenarios 2050. The result of this year-long study describes potential developments in global transport fuels and technology systems on the basis of two distinct scenarios: “Freeway” and “Tollway”. It concludes the biggest challenge is for governments to provide sustainable transport for nine billion people in 2050 and to do that at the lowest possible social cost.
Questions
What are the critical uncertainties and energy priorities in the UK? What are the similarities and differences in energy issues between global and the UK?
What are the key messages from WEC Policy Assessment for the UK?
In the Sustainable Index, the UK has slipped from 8th to 14th place - a fall of six places since last year. Why and how can improvements be made?
Moderator
Michael J S Gibbons, OBE, FEI, Chair, UK Member Committee of the WEC, (UKWEC)
Speakers
Christoph W Frei, Secretary General, WEC, UK
Pierre Gadonneix, Chair, WEC; Honorary Chairman, EdF, France
Joan MacNaughton, Executive Chair, Policy Assessment, WEC; Senior Vice President, Power and Environmental Policies, Alstom, UK
Mark Robson, Project Partner, Policy Assessment, WEC; Partner, Global Risk and Trading Practice, Oliver Wyman, UAE
6 October 2011
Electricity Market Reform – [how] is it going to work?
The most important current issue on the energy agenda for many in the UK is the Government's proposed Electricity Market Reform. EMR is intended to stimulate investment in low carbon sources of electricity generation and provide security of supply into the future when our current fleet of aging plant has been retired.
Following the publication of the EMR White Paper on 13th July many outstanding issues still remain and there is still scope to debate and influence its detailed delivery. It is certain to present the biggest changes in the electricity market for over 20 years.
There will surely be many more meetings to discuss it, but this UKWEC event will have a number of interesting speakers, including from DECC, a good opportunity for discussion and a networking lunch aim at being influential as well as informative.
Speakers
Simon Skillings, Director, Trilemma UK EMR - Hard choices
Mark Hughes, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Attracting new capital into low carbon generation
Jonathan Brearley, Director of Energy Strategy and Futures, Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
In the Chair – Dr Jeff Chapman, Chief Executive, The Carbon Capture & Storage Association
23 June 2011
Energy is a global business!
After several seminars in which the issues discussed have been UK focused (eg the EMR, Green Deal, GIB etc) we have decided, particularly in view of our WEC affiliation, to have an international theme to this (and probably our next) meeting.
The idea started with the recent IEA Chief Economist's view that the impact of decisions in Beijing will have more energy related impact on the UK citizen than those of DECC!
To explore this idea, and the impact and role of China in the international energy scene we have Neil Hirst, formerly of the UK Dept of Energy and the IEA. Inevitably his talk will refer to CO2 emission issues and global climate change.
Next we have Nick Mabey, ex FCO and Prime Ministerial adviser, and now E3G, who will explore global climate change issues in particular, and what needs to be done.
Then we are pleased that GE's Washington based MD for Energy Policy, Tim Richards will talk about the work of the WEC task force on trade and energy. He has a fine reputation as a stimulating speaker.
Finally Professor Jim Watson will also talk on the interesting work he has carried out for WEC, highlighting some of the best (and worst?) energy policies around the world, including but not exclusively on climate change. Energy policies, when they become regulations, do not necessarily succeed in achieving their objectives or if they do at a reasonable cost.
Speakers
Neil Hirst, Senior policy fellow at the Grantham Institute, Imperial College, London
China's energy challenge and the impact on global energy markets.
Nick Mabey, Founding Director & Chief Executive, E3G
Global climate change issues
Timothy J. Richards, Managing Director for Energy Policy, Washington, DC office, General Electric Company (GE) The work of the WEC task force on trade and energy
Professor Jim Watson, Director, Sussex Energy Group
International Energy policies, including their effect on climate change
In the Chair – Michael J S Gibbons, OBE, UKWEC Chairman
24 March 2011
Understanding aspects of "Green Finance" - the Green Investment Bank and the Green Deal. How much is available and when? What will it be used for? Another authoritative UKWEC workshop
The UKWEC series of very topical and popular seminars continues with the focus on Green Finance. Everybody has heard about it in headline terms, but the meeting aims to unpick what is actually being planned in the area. The Green Investment Bank concept will be discussed, including the form and availability of Green Finance, and what leverage it might create. Our three expert speakers will also discuss the latest proposals for the Green Deal, and consider its impacts for property owners
Speakers:
James Wardlaw, Managing Director, Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs
Tony White ( PDF File, 139KB), Director, BW Energy Limited
Chris Morrison ( PDF File, 105KB), , Head of Commercial for British Gas New Energy
In the Chair – Michael J S Gibbons, OBE, Chairman UKWEC
20 January 2011
UK Electricity Market Reform – Imperative! Will we get it right? How long will it take?
(followed by Electricity Market Reform (EMR) consultation workshop,
There is widespread consensus that changes are needed in the UK Electricity Market in order to encourage the £200bn investment predicted by Ofgem over the coming decade. A recent report by the Committee on Climate Change has talked about 30GW of new capacity by 2020 and 30-40GW in the following decade. DECC and Treasury will be launching important consultations on their proposals for the necessary changes before the end of 2010. It looks like 2011 will be a critical year for reshaping UK power markets to deliver the secure, affordable and low carbon energy the country needs. Come and hear representatives from DECC, EDF Energy and the investment community talk about Governments proposals and the impact they may have on what gets built and when.
Speakers
Jonathan Brearley, Director of Energy Strategy & Futures, DECC
Paul Spence, Director of Strategy and Regulation, EDF Energy
Tony White, Director, BW Energy Limited
In the Chair – Michael J S Gibbons, OBE, UKWEC Chairman
7 October 2010
Energy efficiency - is it ever going to happen?
Using energy more efficiently is a cost effective way of cutting carbon dioxide emissions. It can also improve productivity and can contribute to the security of our energy supplies by reducing our reliance on imported energy ....Improving the energy efficiency of homes can also reduce energy bills and help ensure that the most vulnerable can afford to heat their homes." HMG White Paper on Energy, May 2007.
So why is there so much room to improve? Why does waste remain stubbornly high? There has been so much encouragement and exhortation. But barriers remain. Various initiatives are taken, but progress seems slow. Will it ever happen?
Speakers
Dan Monzani, Deputy Director of Green Deal Legislation and Finance, DECC
John Miles, Group Board Director, Global Chairman of Energy, ARUP
Sara Vaughan, Director of Regulation and Energy Policy, E.ON UK
Chairman/ Moderator – Dr Robert Hawley CBE, Chairman
UKWEC Workshop 7 Oct 2010 - Summary ( PDF File, 36KB)
8 September 2010
Pursuing sustainability
2010 WEC Assessment of country energy and climate policies - A sneak preview
Venue: Ernst & Young LLP, 1 More London Place, London SE1 2AF
Global population growth and the importance of limiting global warming mean energy policymaking has to accommodate multiple agendas—economic development, national security, social welfare, and environmental protection. As a result, policy approaches to the national primary energy mix, infrastructure development, market operation, and demand management need to be governed by principles relating to long-term energy sustainability.
The World Energy Council’s (WEC) definition of energy sustainability has three key dimensions—energy security, social equity, and environmental impact mitigation. For these to be pursued successfully, public acceptance and an economic framework that reflects key externalities are critical.
At the same time the pressure on energy policymaking to support multiple agendas has increased in recent years. The definition of energy sustainability has become broader and the trade-offs between policy priorities sharper.
The World Energy Council, in the interest of our sustainable energy future, and in partnership with Oliver Wyman, has developed a methodological framework to identify effective polices around the world and examine how they can be transferred from one country to another.
Meeting starts at 11.30am (Tea and coffee available from 11.00am)
Speakers
Jayesh Parmar, Partner, Oil & Gas practice, Oliver Wyman
Richard Smith-Bingham, Senior Manager, Oliver Wyman - compilers of the WEC report
Christoph Frei, Secretary General, World Energy Council
Joan MacNaughton CB, Senior Vice President, Power & Environmental Policies, ASTOM Power
Chairman/ Moderator – Michael J S Gibbons OBE, Chairman
The final report is published on the WEC website
24 June 2010
How will electricity be supplied over the next decade?
We shall have a lead speaker from DECC - Jonathan Brearley, Director of Energy Strategy & Futures, who will give a presentation based on government policies; it will be interesting to see whether there are changes as a result of the election. Then we shall hear from a senior EDF executive, Jean-Baptiste Galland, Director of Strategy and Investment, with the views of one of the major utilities in the UK; EDF is a multinational operator and wishes to invest in nuclear power in the UK. Finally we shall hear from Jeremy Nicholson of the Energy Intensive Users Group, who will provide a no doubt challenging contribution from the perspective of the large energy consumers. It is to be expected that what will happen to energy costs will be a theme in his remarks.
The session is also very likely to address issues such as the forecast tightness or otherwise of electricity supply and demand, the expected and practical role of renewables, the role of energy efficiency, conservation and demand management.
Another highly interesting and informative debate, with speakers responding to questions from members, is in prospect.How will UK electricity be supplied over the next decade?
Speakers
Jonathan Brearley, Director of Energy Strategy & Futures, DECC
Jean-Baptiste Galland, Director of Strategy and Investment, EDF Energy
Jeremy Nicholson, Energy Intensive Users Group
18 March 2010
The changing politics of Energy and Climate Policy
Speakers:
Rt Hon Malcolm Wicks MP, Labour Party (Prime Minister’s Special Representative on International Energy Issues)
Charles Hendry MP, Conservative Party (Shadow Minister for Energy)
Lord Rupert Redesdale, Liberal Democrats (Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Climate Change)
Report of Workshop March 2010 ( PDF File, 31KB) by Steve Hodgson, Editor, Energy World, Energy Institute
