Vision 2050 Options for a new Northern Ireland Strategic Energy Framework 2019

Kevin Cooper © Photoline: Paul Stapleton, Managing Director at NIE Networks, speaking at Chambré Policy Eye NI Events, in partnership with Cleaver Fulton Rankin, hosted the conference providing unique insights into the issues that need to be considered as the Department for the Economy seeks to develop an energy vision for 2050 on Wednesday 11th September 2019 in Titanic Belfast. Delegates were welcomed by Will Chambré, Managing Director at Chambré and Editor at Policy Eye Northern Ireland, and Chair of the conference Jamie Delargy, Business broadcaster. The conference heard from keynote speakers: Richard Rodgers, Head of Energy at Department for the Economy, Jenny Pyper, Chief Executive at Utility Regulator, Declan Billington MBE, Chair of CBI Northern Ireland Energy Forum, Stephen Cross, Director and Head of Energy at Cleaver Fulton Rankin, followed by a panel discussion. There followed a panel discussion on Whole Energy System Transition with Jo Aston, Managing Director at SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland), Dr Andrew Cripps, Regional Director, Sustainability at AECOM, Charlie Simpson, Partner and Head of Mobility 2030, Global Strategy Group at KPMG UK, Michael McKinstry, Group Chief Executive Officer at Phoenix Natural Gas. Two parallel sessions followed: the first session on Energy Consumption was Chaired by Grainia Long, Commissioner for Resilience at Belfast City Council, with panellists: Pat Austin, Director at National Energy Action (NEA) Northern Ireland, Karl Purcell, Programme Manager of Behavioural Economics Unit at Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Professor Tom Woolley, Visiting Professor at Anglia Ruskin University, Richard Leach, Local Area Energy Planning Consultant at Energy Systems Catapult. The second session on Energy Production was Chaired by John Young, Head of Policy, Northern Ireland and Ireland, SSE, with panellists: Dara Lynott, Chief Executive at Electricity Association of Ireland (EAI), David Smith, Chief Executive at Energy Networks Association (ENA), Chris Johnston, Principal Scientist & Project Leader, Agri Environmental Technologies Unit at Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Professor Neil Hewitt, Professor of Energy/Director of the Centre for Sustainable Technologies at Ulster University. Reportage from the parallel sessions and the final session on A New Strategic Energy Framework was Chaired by Eleanor McEvoy, Chair at Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Northern Ireland Energy Group. Panellists included: Panellists included: Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim) with Daniel McCrossan (SDLP, West Tyrone), Paul Frew (DUP, N Antrim), Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Derry), and Claire Bailey (Green, South Belfast). Final remarks on that day’s discussions were by Paul Stapleton, Managing Director at NIE Networks and closing comments were by Jamie Delargy. Final remarks on that day’s discussions were by Paul Stapleton, Managing Director at NIE Networks and closing comments were by Jamie Delargy.

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