Industry, policy and academic experts from the leading global energy cities of the UK, Norway, Canada and Australia will gather in Aberdeen in May to discuss the energy transition.
Organised by the University of Aberdeen Business School, the free to attend half day event at King’s College Conference Centre on May 21 will focus on the regulation, funding and finance of the move towards sustainable energy sources.
“The conference will consider two of the most critical topics of the energy transition, with participants getting the opportunity to engage with a wide range of experts who are at the forefront of developing and implementing strategies for a sustainable energy future,” said Professor Norman Hutchison, Chair at the Business School.
“We hope the event will not just be an information-sharing forum but will act as a call to action for industry leaders, researchers, policymakers and the global community to come together and I would encourage anyone with an interest in the energy transition to come along and be part of the conversation.”
Chaired by Dr Eilidh Whiteford, senior advisor at True North (Scotland) Ltd and former MP for Banff and Buchan, the conference will kick off with a keynote address from Stuart Payne, CEO of the North Sea Transition Authority, who will focus on the regulatory framework guiding the transition.
In this first session delegates will also hear from Frank Ketelaars, operations manager UK and Ireland for DNV Energy Systems.
The second keynote presentation will be given by Maggie McGinley, CEO of ETZ Ltd, who is leading the implementation of the flagship Energy Transition Zone project which sits at the heart of the integrated energy transition cluster delivering on net zero.
Colin Welsh, partner at investment firm SCF Partners and former CEO and Head of International Energy Investment Banking at Simmons & Company International, will then share his thoughts on the financial landscape.
The presentations will be followed by a panel session with input from David Whitehouse, chief executive of OEUK; Alex Kemp, Professor of Petroleum Economics and director of the Aberdeen Centre for Research in Energy Economic and Finance; and Professor John Underhill, director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Transition, both of the University of Aberdeen. Further panelists will be announced shortly.
Also in attendance at the Conference will be Business School delegates from Curtin University in Australia, the University of Calgary in Canada, and the University of Stavangar who, together with the University of Aberdeen, represent the higher education skills sector across four of the world’s leading energy cities.
“University research plays a pivotal role in driving the energy transition forward and achieving net zero. Through groundbreaking studies and interdisciplinary collaboration, we are at the forefront of developing innovative solutions that address the complex challenges of climate change,” said Professor John Skåtun, Head of the University of Aberdeen’s Business School.
“The work being done in academic institutions around the world, aligned with industry partners, not only advances our understanding of sustainable energy systems but also shapes the policies and structures that will enable a greener, more sustainable future for all.”
The ‘Energy Industry in Transition Conference’ takes place from 1pm to 4.30pm on 21 May at the King’s College Conference Centre at the OId Aberdeen campus.
