The Future of Energy is Green and Digital, 9 January 2025
The Future of Energy 2025
Join us on January 9, 2025, for "The Future of Energy is Green and Digital" conference, where we will explore how green energy and digital solutions can work together to build a sustainable future - at the University Library at Blindern, Oslo.
"Mind the gaps"
This year’s theme, “Mind the Gaps” focuses on critical areas where progress is needed—scaling up energy production, enhancing efficiency, promoting sufficiency, and securing essential resources. As the green and digital transitions are deeply interconnected, we will explore how they can reinforce each other positively to accelerate the green transition.
What can you expect?
Through inspiring talks and insights from leading experts, researchers, and start-ups, we aim to identify the solutions needed to achieve climate goals and ensure affordable energy for society at large.
We look forward to seeing you there and to work together to bridge the gaps toward a sustainable future!
Registration
Registration is now open! The event is free of charge, but registration is required. Reserve your spot today!
Meet some of our speakers
Program January 9, 2025: The Future of Energy is Green and Digital
08:30-08:55 Coffee and registration
Sessions start promptly - please be mindful to find your seat ahead of time.
09:00-10:50 Opening session: The Green and Digital Energy Transition
This session will set the scene for the conference by providing an overview of the green and digital transitions, featuring contributions from both Norway and the EU. As these transitions are interconnected, we will explore how to ensure that they reinforce each other positively. Attendees will gain insights into the current landscape of sustainable energy practices and how digital innovations can facilitate this important shift.
Welcome and opening:
- Svein St?len, Rector, University of Oslo
- Marit Vea, Vice Mayor for Environment and Transport
- Torgeir Micaelsen, State secretary, Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance
- Rosalinde van Der Vlies, Clean Planet Director, EU Commission (video contribution): "EU’s role in driving the twin transition of green and digital energy systems"
- Morten D?hlen, Centre Leader, dScience - Centre for Computational and Data Science
Panel discussion:
- Moderated by Ruth Astrid S?ter, with:
- Torgeir Micaelsen, State secretary, Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance
- Morten D?hlen, Centre Leader, dScience - Centre for Computational and Data Science
Keynotes by:
- Thomas Spencer, Senior Analyst in the Directorate of Sustainability, Technology, and Outlook, IEA: "World Energy Outlook 2024 – Entering into the Age of Electricity"
- Kirsten E. H. Jenkins, Senior Lecturer in Energy, Environment, and Society, University of Edinburgh: "The Just Energy Transition: What are “We” Doing and for Whom?"
The opening session is moderated by Ruth Astrid S?ter.
10:50-11:15 Break
11:15-12:30 Session 1: The Production gap - the need for much more green energy
This session explores the critical gap in green energy production, emphasizing the need for efficient and sustainable solutions to meet global climate goals and rising demand.
Speakers:
- Henrik S?tness, Executive Vice President Corporate Staff, Statkraft: "'The Future of Energy is Renewable'"
- Andreas St?rdal, VP of Production Optimisation, Scatec: "Digital innovation as an enabler for scaling renewables globally"
- Simon Clark, Senior Research Scientist, Sintef Industry: "Digital Twin Solutions for a Greener, Smarter Grid"
- Aligi Foglia, Senior Geotechnical Engineer in the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute: "Sustainable station-keeping systems for floating wind – The TAILWIND project:
Pitches:
- Christian Blom, CEO, Skyfri: "We make sunshine on demand: How to make weather dependent energy resources predictable and balanced"
- Kristin Bergum, Researcher, University of Oslo: "Tandem solar cells: more energy, less space"
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Athanasios Chatzitakis, Researcher, University of Oslo: "REFINE: A socially placed and accepted technology for sustainable fuel production with solar energy"
Session chair: Tine Uberg N?rland, Research Director at the Institute for Energy Technology
12:30-13:15 Lunch
13:15-14:00 Session 2: The Efficiency gap - doing more with the energy we have
Building on the need to scale up green energy production, this session will focus on improving energy efficiency to meet growing demands sustainably, emphasizing the critical importance of optimizing resource use and reducing waste.
Speakers:
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Hege Dyngvold, Project Leader, Euroflex: "A flexible power grid utilizes its existing capacity: Distributed Flexibility Market and Consumer Flexibility"
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Henrik Hovde S?nsteby, Associate Professor, University of Oslo: "Coping with power-hungry electronics - How materials science can stop the world from running out of energy"
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Kristian Authén, Senior Data Scientist, Statnett: "Allowing for More Green Energy in The Grid"
Session chair: Volker Hoffmann, Research Scientist, Sintef Digital
14:00-15:30 Session 3: The Sufficiency gap - reducing consumption and protecting nature
This session delves into "the sufficiency gap", focusing on strategies for reducing energy consumption through smarter prioritization of essential needs and efficient use of resources. Topics include exploring alternatives like utilizing grey areas over natural landscapes in energy production.
Speakers:
- Ingrid Lomelde, Sustainability Director, Hafslund
- Manuela Panzacchi, Senior Researcher, Norwegian
Institute for Nature Research: "How to simulate cumulative impacts on nature & prioritise areas for conservation, restoration or sustainable development" -
Ulrikke Bryn Wethal, Resesarcher, University of Oslo: "Sufficiency and energy demand: Defining limits and priorities through the concept of consumption corridors"
Panel discussion:
- Ingrid Lomelde, Sustainability Director, Hafslund
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Ulrikke Bryn Wethal, Resesarcher, University of Oslo
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Marit Sj?vaag, Associate Professor, BI
Session chair: Tanja Winther, Professor and Head of Research Centre FME Include, University of Oslo
15:00-15:30 Break
15:30-17:00 Session 4: The Resource gaps - circular economy
This session will examine the economic and material challenges of transitioning to green energy, focusing on securing critical materials, establishing resilient and circular supply chains, and ensuring essential financing for a sustainable transition.
Speakers:
- Martin Smestad Foss, Vice President, Institute for Energy Technology: "Why Critical Raw Materials is an essential part of the green transition in the EU"
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Birgit Ryningen, Researcher, SINTEF Industry: "Silicon and other materials for solar cells: The need, waste streams and recycling"
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Marcus Martinsson, Manager Product Area Batteries, Stena Recycling Group: "Waste legislations, ambitions, governance and enforcement"
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Samaneh Etemadi, CEO, Lithium367: "Innovative Lithium recycling: Sustainable Solutions for a Greener Future"
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Federica Mudu, R&D Director, K.A.Rasmussen Group: "Recycling of Critical Metals for Norway's Green Transition"
18:00-19:30 Reception Oslo City Hall
The doors open at 17:30. The event starts at 18:00 and ends at 19:30.
With contributions from:
- Anne Lindboe, Mayor, City of Oslo
- Christine Wergeland S?rbye, CEO, Oslo Science City
Register for poster competition
Create. Present. Win!
As part of The Future of Energy conference, we invite master’s students, PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers to present their research in posters and compete for the Best Poster Prize, voted by the conference's participants!
Requirements
In order to present your poster in the conference, your research must cover one or more of UiO:Energy and Environment's main research areas. We have a limited number of spots available to present, so please provide a short description of your research. All submissions will be reviewed. You also need to be affiliated with either UiO or the partners of the conference: Sintef, IFE, NGI, BI or Oslo kommune.
Who can present?
This workshop is open for second-year master's students that have progressed with data collection and analysis in their research project, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers at the University of Oslo. Students or young researchers from the partners of The Future of Energy conference, IFE, NGI, BI and Sintef are also welcome to join.
Deadline
To be eligible to present at The Future of Energy conference, you must submit your poster by December 20 for print to Maria Elise Dyvik. All costs related to the printing process are covered by UiO:Energy and Environment.
Background
Morten D?hlen, center lead dScience - Original in Norwegian - Translation by Google Translate
The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, Insight paper - Original in English
From the organizers - Original in Norwegian - Translation by Google Translate
Geir Horn fra UiO og Jun Elin Wiik fra Smartgrid senteret i samtale med Vebj?rn Bakken, direkt?r ved UiO:Energi og milj?.
Morten D?hlen, center lead dScience - Original in Norwegian - Translation by Google Translate
Practical information
- Date: January 9, 2025
- Time:
- Registration from 08:30-08:55.
- The conference starts 09:00 and ends at 17:00.
- Evening reception starts at 18:00, doors open from 17:15, and it ends at 19:30.
- Place:
- Conference sessions at Georg Sverdrups hus, Campus Blindern
- Evening reception at Oslo City Hall
- Organizers: UiO:Energy and Environment and Oslo Science City.
Contact
For questions about the conference, please contact Ingvild Budal Jacobsen i.b.jacobsen@energi.uio.no
The Future of Energy is Green and Digital is an Oslo Science City Arena event developed in partnership with
The Future of Energy is Green and Digital is supported by
