World Energy Council Central and Eastern Europe Regional Energy Forum - FOREN 2024

FOREN 2024 - World Energy Council Central & Eastern Europe Energy Forum

16.06.24 - 19.06.2024

Neptun International Conference Centre, Doina Complex,

Romania

Keeping the tradition of more than 30 years and coming back to Neptun, Romania, the Regional Energy Forum - FOREN 2024 was held from June 16 to 19.

The event was attended by over 400 specialists from the energy sectors of the countries of the region, parliamentarians, and representatives of international organizations, including the World Energy Council, DG Energy, etc. The topics of interest were part of the broad theme proposed by the Forum: "Rethinking the future of the world through a secure, clean, and efficient energy".

The Forum highlighted the fact that the challenges facing the energy sectors of the countries in the region have increased, primarily due to the uncertainties identified and signalled by the leaders in the field. The Forum has demonstrated - once again - that in the face of geopolitical threats and specific challenges in the region, the energy sectors are defending themselves with their own "weapons": rethinking their structure and purpose "for people and planet", cooperating for greater security in providing this vital service and shortening the path towards total climate neutrality. In addition to this, the "humanization" of energy will be achieved by rethinking the sector's "barrier" with users and redefining their role. The transition to climate neutrality is important, but simply reducing greenhouse gas emissions does not solve the complexity of the region's challenges, nor should it reduce the region's contribution to stability in an increasingly complex and threatening world.

The technologies that can be deployed are manifold, spread down to the user level, and the need and urgency to diversify energy production has been often emphasized in the context of the digital revolution. Large-scale investment is needed, but it seems that those interested in investing are aware of the need to consider "greening" in addition to economic and governance criteria.

The region has resources, but the energy mix will change fundamentally, and the energy map will change. The increasingly important role of materials such as copper, lithium, nickel, and aluminium must be considered, with coal, oil and even gas competing in the future as a necessity. Security of supply (not only energy) is therefore essential.

The role of the WEC and the National Committees in this complex world is essential, because the history of energy is part of the history of the development of mankind, and this was underlined in the context of the centenary anniversary of the organization, where not only its history but also its prospects and positive role in the coming decades were discussed.

The organizers thank you for your participation and invite you to the next FOREN in 2026!

FOREN 2024 statistics:

• 4 days of conference
• 12 Discussion Sessions: 1 Opening Ceremony and 11 Panel Debates
• +43 Hours of event
• +125 Speakers
• +55 Technical papers, of which: 40 with oral presentations and 15 Technical Posters
• +400 Participants from Romania and 10 other countries (Physical and Online presence).
   

For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the WEC/RNC executive secretariat and visit the FOREN website for more details.