All-Energy 2016, the UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition and conference, is being held at Glasgow’s Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) on Wednesday 4 and Thursday, May 5.
In addition to covering all sources of renewable generation, the event also embraces sustainable and smart cities; and business energy efficiency.
Indeed, a conference theatre, sponsored by Shepherd and Wedderburn, is entirely devoted to sustainable and smart cities for the duration of the show; and energy efficiency is not only discussed there, but also in a standalone 90-minute conference session, and a full day of presentations in the ‘quick fire’ business energy efficiency theatre. All the component parts of All-Energy – the major exhibition, the multi-stream conference, seminar theatres and the Giant Networking Theatre are free to attend for all with relevant business/professional interests. Free online registration is at www.all-energy.co.uk
"All-Energy’s conference and seminar programme provides a fantastic platform for some of the leading figures in the renewable energy sector to share their insights on current industry topics,” explains Clare Foster, Partner, Shepherd and Wedderburn. “As chairperson, I am particularly looking forward to the two ‘Sustainable Cities: A Year on from All-Energy 2015… How Green Are We?’ sessions on Day 1 of the conference.
“I know, and have worked with, many of the impressive speakers who will be joining me to explore how green our cities really are, and what progress has been made in the 12 months since All-Energy 2015,” she adds.
“The speaker line-up comprises individuals who are immersed in this area and, with an extensive range of expertise, will not only provide delegates with a well-rounded overview on developments in both the private and public sectors, but will no doubt stimulate some debate about how much progress has really been made in the last year, and what could be achieved in the future.”
One of those speakers is Iain Watson, director, Energy Efficiency at the Green Investment Bank, who is speaking in both of Clare Foster’s sessions on ‘Energy efficiency market evolution’. One session is on the private sector and the other on the public sector. He explains: “Making our cities smarter and more sustainable will make them better places to live and work.
“There are a range of technologies that can help cut air pollution, improve energy efficiency and increase energy production, whether we are investing in new or existing infrastructure. All-Energy is the perfect platform to highlight the types of opportunities available to cities and how they can be deployed throughout the UK and beyond.”
Other presentations in the two sessions on opening day (May 4) include (for the private sector) ‘Energy efficiency regulations north and south of the border in context of buildings’ (Scott Ritchie, Partner, Shepherd and Wedderburn); ‘Buildings and low carbon/energy efficiency’ (Michael Gribben, Director – National Engineering services, CBRE); and ‘The transition to sustainable transport solutions – Transporting people and energy’ (Andrew Aldridge, Senior Adviser, Green Angel Syndicate.
Moving to the public sector, Clare has a packed session with Iain Watson once again taking pole position - in this instance he will be speaking with Brian Devlin, executive director of Land & Environmental Services, Glasgow City Council. They are followed by ‘Financing the public sector and including the Green Loan’ (Andrew Wilkinson, Vice President – Energy Efficiency, Green Investment Bank); ‘Challenges and the barriers/ Top tips for getting the deal done’ (Craig Nicholson, Solicitor, Shepherd and Wedderburn); ‘Crystallising the benefits of low carbon and energy efficiency: Green load case study’ (Jeremy Martin, Energy & Sustainability Manager, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council); ‘Improving energy efficiency through open data and standardisation’ (Dr Steven Fawkes, Founder and Principal, EnergyPro; ‘Energy and social mobility: How social housing is challenging the energy industry’ (Colin Reid, Energy & Sustainability manager, Wheatley Group; and with Chris Stark, Head of Energy Division, Scottish Government as an ‘end of session’ panellist.
The private/public sessions are separated by a “quick fire” session over the lunch period featuring relevant technology updates.
“What a line-up,” says event director Jonathan Heastie from All-Energy organisers, Reed Exhibitions. “Clare Foster has really pulled out all the stops on this session! I am certainly looking forward to it. We only introduced sessions on ‘Sustainable Cities’ at last year’s show, but it is gratifying to see interest in the topic growing – we can measure it not only by attendance at conference sessions, but by the number of exhibitors who join our ‘subject specific’ sector trails (designed to help visitors find their way easily to all exhibitors of specific interest). This year we have well over 40 exhibiting companies who have asked to be on the Sustainable Cities’ trail; and more than a hundred who are exhibiting products and services of relevance to those determined to improve their organisation’s energy efficiency.”
Other sessions taking place in the Sustainable and Smart Cities Theatre include ‘Smart Cities’ (final session on Day 1); and, on Day 2 ‘Sustainability and energy efficiency in the food & drink sector’; ‘Enabling smart cities … big data conundrums’ (which sees Gordon Moir of Shepherd and Wedderburn in conversation with Stephen Burdis, Growth and Strategy Leader – EMEA, GE Digital Energy); and ‘Sustainable and smart cities technology’
Other highly relevant conference sessions include: Glasgow’s low carbon economy – looking ahead at market opportunities (Day 1); Energy systems; Energy efficiency (Day 1); Sustainable transport (Day 1);Grid issues and solutions (both days); Local Energy Economies (Day 2); Energy from Waste (Day 2 – including a keynote address by Alan Cumming, Capital Projects and Engineering Director, Viridor and an introduction to DONG Energy’s REnescience system); sessions on heat networks/district heating (Day 2); energy storage (again Day 2) and every form of renewable energy generation including geothermal and solar.
Additionally from 10:30am until 3:30pm on Day 2, the Business Energy Efficiency Seminar Theatre on the exhibition show floor features nearly 20 presentations on energy efficiency/ energy management technology and ‘how we’ve done it’ case histories. Following these case histories experts from The Carbon Trust will be available to give one-to-one advice in the All-Energy Share Fair.
Next, Jonathan Heastie looks forward to the major exhibition: “Our exhibitors come from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Indonesia, Italy, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, USA and all parts of the UK and in all some 400 companies, as both stand holders and their sharing companies, will be exhibiting products and services relevant to all forms of renewable generation; energy efficiency and energy management; and the needs of sustainable and smart cities. This year we have two new zones of the exhibition floor – one on heat; and the other on energy storage.”
The sixteen sector-specific trails around the exhibition are designed to help visitors find the exhibits of particular interest to them. The All-Energy website at www.all-energy.co.uk not only carries the full conference / seminar programme and exhibitor list, but also divides the exhibitors into those sector trails; as well as by exhibitor category and product category, meaning that even before reaching the show, visitors can easily determine who they specifically want to see.
From a networking perspective, All-Energy has long held a reputation for memorable networking events, and this year will be no exception with the much-lauded Giant Networking Evening (sponsored by Centrica and Doosan Babcock) taking place once again in the Glasgow Science Centre across the river from the show venue.
“Preceded at 6pm by Glasgow City’s Civic Reception, the event is a truly exceptional opportunity to relax after a busy day, catch up with friends old and new and interact with the Centre’s new “Powering the Future” exhibition,” says Jonathan Heastie. “I look forward to meeting you in the show, and at the Glasgow Science Centre.”
All-Energy 2016 has a strong list of supporting organisations; and sponsors include Shepherd & Wedderburn; SP Energy Networks; Element Power; Centrica; Doosan Babcock; Everoze; Gaia Wind; and Green Marine.
All-Energy is held in association with the Renewable Energy Association (REA); Highlands and Islands Enterprise; Scottish Enterprise; Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) and host city Glasgow. The Society for Underwater Technology is the show’s learned society patron; and once again UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), All-Energy’s ‘Key International Trade Partner’, will play an active role with country briefings and 1-2-1 meeting opportunities.
A further 40 organisations including government departments, professional bodies and trade associations act as supporters of the two-day annual event.
Further information on all aspects of All-Energy is available at www.all-energy.co.uk and from all-energy@reedexpo.co.uk. All-Energy is on Twitter @AllEnergy and has Facebook and LinkedIn groups.