WEC France hosts conference on top energy issues

“What keeps you awake at night?” is the question posed to eight energy leaders from around the world about the most burning energy issues in their countries at a recent conference organized by Conseil Français de l’Énergie (CFE), the WEC French member committee on 2 July in Paris.

The conference provided a platform for the energy leaders to highlight the most critical issues. Professor Abubakar Sambo, special advisor to the President of Nigeria on energy and WEC Vice-Chair for Africa, discussed how access to energy continues to be a problem not only for his country but also for Africa. In Colombia, poor accessibility is compounded by the challenge of pricing energy fairly, according to José Antonio Vargas Lleras, WEC Vice-Chair for Latin America and the Caribbean and President of Codensa. In Mexico, according to Pablo Mulás Marcelo del Pozo, Secretary of WEC Mexico, progress has been slow in increasing the share of alternative energies to meet the country’s clean energy target, such that if the goal of 35% were to be met by 2024, then there needs to be a clear path for nuclear energy to help achieve the goal. Teruaki Masumoto, Chair of the Japan Energy Association (WEC Japan), referred to the context and political events in Japan, which would determine a new framework for nuclear safety and for the resumption of nuclear generation.

 

The journey led the audience to India, where B.P. Rao, Chair of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, described the challenge of energy supply, and to Korea, where David Kim, WEC Co-chair elect, identified solar energy as the main issue.

Other top issues discussed include bridging the Asian and European energy markets (Süreyya Yucel Özden, Chair of WEC Turkey), and a “Marshall Plan” for energy efficiency in Romania where market mechanisms and government support would together drive efficiency improvements (Iulian Iancu, Chair of WEC Romania).

The conference took place in the backdrop of a series of meetings in Paris which gathered the WEC’s senior leadership and study committee members. Pierre Gadonneix, WEC Chairman, introduced the conference.

In an evening reception at the Museum Carnavalet after the conference, Olivier Appert presented Pierre Gadonneix with the first medal of Conseil Français de l’Énergie in recognition of Mr Gadonneix’s six years at the helm of WEC. His term will conclude at the 22th World Energy Congress.

Olivier Appert referred to Mr Gadonneix’s rich and diverse career focusing on energy, as well as his dedication to the CFE and the WEC. Mr Appert also underlined the fact that Pierre Gadonneix’s term has been marked not only by his drive to bring together and promote exchange between members, but also the launch of the evaluation of country energy policies which has led to the WEC’s current energy trilemma work.

Pierre Gadonneix said:

 

“I have always been interested in international public policy issues and in market efficiency. Clearly the energy sector is a wonderful area where you have to contribute to make all these aspects coherent.”
 

French energy issues
Following publication of the WEC study, “World Energy Issues Monitor 2013”, earlier this year, WEC France conducted a poll amongst energy leaders of France. At the conference Olivier Appert, Chair of the Conseil Français de l’Énergie and Chair of IFP Energies Nouvelles, provided an overview of the survey’s findings, with the uncertainties around the EU’s future, MENA dynamics, energy storage, and the climate framework being the top concerns of French energy leaders. (More on the CFE website, in French: http://bit.ly/15KR7eH)