June 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will be a timely opportunity to examine key issues and policy priorities for wind energy in the UK, focusing on:
- development of offshore assets,
- prospects for future finance and regulation,
- supporting and utilising innovation, and
- the role of wind in the future low carbon energy mix.
We also expect discussion to reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic - and to look ahead at priorities for ensuring that recovery strategies incorporate climate action and renewable energy.
Key areas for discussion:
- Policy for supporting wind sector development and growth, including discussion on future financing, regulation, and meeting the skills needs of the sector;
- The planning system and the public engagement in the development of wind farms - with the CCC’s call for new and compelling narratives;
- Growing the contribution of wind energy to reaching the UK’s net-zero carbon emissions goal and renewable energy capacity targets;
- Increasing engagement and collaboration with local businesses and supply chains - including with ports and local authorities in assembly and maintenance of offshore wind assets;
- Support for innovation in smart grid technology and energy storage and creating more reliable supply from wind farms across the UK; and
- Assessing advances in efficiency, infrastructure, engineering methods, and technology.
Why this is relevant: the context:
It takes place with:
- consultation on proposed amendments to the CfD scheme for 2021 - including reintroduction of Pot 1 auctions and proposals to extend CfD deliver schemes to 2030;
- the Offshore wind sector deal aimed at the supporting the industry as it grows ahead of its first Annual Review expected in November;
- reiteration of the Government’s commitment to support offshore wind to generate 40GW by 2030, and enable new floating turbines;
- UK targets for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and the Chancellor’s Net Zero Review - ahead of its final publication planned for Autumn 2020;
- the £90m funding allocation by government aimed at cutting carbon emissions from households and businesses, of which £20m is specifically for funding local smart energy projects UK-wide; and
- the Committee on Climate Change Behaviour change, public engagement and Net Zero report.
The agenda:
- Policy priorities for the wind energy sector;
- Finance and regulation of wind energy - attracting investment, CfD modification, supply chain competitiveness, and flexibility;
- Wind energy and the pathway to net-zero emissions in the UK by 2050;
- Building a smarter energy grid to support a low-carbon energy system; and
- Addressing the delivery and engineering challenges of wind energy in the UK - planning, public engagement, and innovation.
Policy officials attending
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stake holders.
It’s certainly the case with this one. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Lords and the Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology, and officials from BEIS; Ofgem; the Committee on Climate Change; The Planning Inspectorate; the Health and Safety Executive; the Home Office; the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; the Government Legal Department; the Office for National Statistics; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; The Scottish Government; the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales and the Welsh Government.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
