
Thirty Innovations for a Renewable-Powered Future
The joint webinar by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Enlit Europe and Initiate discussed how the 30 innovations identified by IRENA in its 'Innovation landscape for a renewable-powered future' project are accelerating the energy transition.
The webinar stressed the importance of a systemic innovation approach, meaning fostering innovation in four dimensions: enabling technologies, business models, market design and system operation. The role of those innovations were discussed in the context of the ongoing disruptive trends in the power sector:
- 1) Digitalisation
- 2) Decentralisation
- 3) Electrification
These trends are changing paradigms, unlocking system flexibility for a high share of VRE penetration. They are changing the roles and responsibilities of actors and opening doors to new entrants in the sector.
Agenda
Opening address
- Nigel Blackaby, Content Director, Enlit Europe
Presentations
- Systemic innovation for a renewable-powered future, Dolf Gielen, Director Innovation and Technology, IRENA
- Presentations on the three innovation trends in power sector:
- Electrification: Mark McGranaghan, Vice President, Innovation, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
- Decentralisation: Michele Governatori, Professor of Environmental Economics & Resource Economics, University Suor Orsola Benincasa
- Digitalisation: Maher Chebbo, Co-Chair of the ETIP SNET Digital Energy
- Initiate, Vaitea Cowan, co-founder, Enapter
Panel discussion and Q&A
- Annegret Groebel, Director of International Relations at the German Regulatory Authority BNetzA, CEER President
- Norela Constantinescu, Manager, Research & Innovation, ENTSO-E
- João Torres, CEO, EDP Distribuição
- Enno Böttcher, CEO of NODES
- Moderator: Nigel Blackaby, Content Director, Enlit Europe
Closing remarks
- Dolf Gielen, Director Innovation and Technology, IRENA