Programme

Our economy has faced challenges related to climate protection and the target of a low-carbon economy by 2050. Energy efficiency is one of the major items in the different programmes on energy efficiency and energy sector development in Europe and Russia.

Energy efficiency refers not only to technology but also methods for using energy efficiently. Providing goods and services using less energy is crucial and creates a connection between energy efficiency and profitability. Energy saving is a growing business. Creating an economy that uses energy in a sustainable way is a challenge for policy makers, business and academics in the near future and beyond. The health and well-being of citizens should be a major concern for energy efficient cities that have an important role in a more energy efficient society. There are important additional benefits in, for example, making buildings more energy efficient, including job creation, quality of life, productivity and higher energy security and industrial competitiveness.

What are the current trends and driving forces for energy efficiency actions? What are the real opportunities for a solar economy? For example solar energy is clean and sustainable but can it save the world? How can we store solar or wind energy?

Moderator:
Jouni Keronen, Vice President, Innovation Development and Partnering, Fortum Plc

Speakers:
Christian Breyer, Professor of Solar Economy, Lappeenranta University of Technology, LUT
Pasi Vainikka, Principal scientist, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Anatoly Tarasov, Head of International Projecys, St. Petersburg Energy Committee
Henning Ellermann, Manager, Energy Efficiency Technologies, Germany Trade and Invest
Satu Viljainen, Professor, Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT)
Christel Jacquet, Innovation Director, Savoie Technolac, France (tbc)
Representative of Skolkovo Energy Cluster (tbc)

Biomass is already a major contributor to the energy supply of Scandinavian countries, and its role as feedstock for energy and materials is expected to increase on a European and global level as well.  The strongly growing demand for biomass and biofuels shows that there is a clear need to develop biomass resources and exploit biomass production potentials in a sustainable way and in different settings. Biomass was seen in the past a solely local resource, but international trade has growing exponentially over the last decade. Volumes of  biodiesel, ethanol and wood pellets traded for energy purposes have increased by a factor of 10 between 2000 and 2010, and trade likely to increase strongly as well in the future, amongst others to fuel biorefineries and supply feedstock to the European biobased economy.

Northwest Russia is one of the anticipated key export regions of woody biomass for energy.  But biomass is often wet, has low density and often consists of heterogeneous material, so efficient pretreatment and logistics are a key factor, requiring innovative solutions for realize cost- and energy-efficient logistic chains. At the same time, new products, such as wood pellets and torrefied pellets and pyrolysis oil from biomass also pose new safety challenges, which need to be addressed. Last but not least,  especially when biomass is sourced from outside the EU, it is important to ensure the sustainable production, e.g through best management practices, sustainability certification or other measures.  The session discusses these aspects as related to innovation and their impacts on biomass trade, including the utilisation and trade of boreal forest resources.

Moderator:
Martin Junginger,Associate Professor at the Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University, and leader of IEA Bioenergy Task 40 on Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade

Speakers:
Sari Mannonen, Director, Business Relations & Marketing, UPM Biofuels
J.Richard Hess, Director, Energy Sys & Technologies Division Energy and Environment Science & Technology Idaho National Laboratory
Luc Pelkmans, Project manager, biomass and bioenergy in the unit ‘Separation and Conversion Technologies’ at VITO
Jonas Dahl, Researcher, Danish Technological Institute

Cities around the world face the challenge of combining competitiveness and sustainable urban development. The forum addresses the issue of smart and green cities from environmental, social and economic perspectives. Case examples and best practices from different cities help to identify the potential for business opportunities, and the need for future development. In this session, these elements will be highlighted by city cases from Europe and Russia. What are the next steps for the development of green and smart cities? How could new inventions in business processes influence the future of our cities? What issues should be taken into account by cities which are planning to become green?

Moderator:
U.S. Ambassador to Finland, USA Embassy

Speakers:
Juha Varis, Professor of Production Engineering, Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT)
Nikolay Pitirimov, Council of the partnership chairman Noncommercial Partnership, The St. Petersburg House Property Owners Association
Ilkka Räsänen, Director, Lappeenranta Region’s Environmental Office, Lappeenranta City
Allan Alakyla, Head of Tallinn European Union Office in Brussels
Curt Winnen, General Manager, Munich Network, entrepreneurship & innovation
Kaisa Hernberg, Executive Director, Cleantech Finland