Below you will find a list of all the previous editions of the Energy Now Congress. When provided, you can further discover the specific event on its dedicated web-page. On that page, you will find videos and pictures that allow you to relive the convention!
Imagine a future where energy consumption and generation are perfectly balanced, a future where the appliances at home interact with the windmills on sea. Can we realise a future where the central energy storage solutions have become a thing of the past? This is what we discovered during the fourth edition of Energy Now; the potential role the power grid can play in the sustainable energy transition.
During the event, exciting topics as the internet of energy, smart grids, decentral power storage and local energy exchange were covered. Additionally, we introduced the attendees to the opportunities regarding the transmission and transport of energy on not only a local, but also on a regional and international level.
The transition to a world powered by sustainable energy is up and running. Although energy sources such as solar and wind are successful, major steps still need to be taken to reach the targets as agreed on in Paris 2015. One of the issues with the most common sustainable energy resources is their weather-dependency: on sunny days we generate too much energy, on rainy days too little. In the current system, supply and demand are not meeting. On top of that, sustainable alternatives for large polluting factors like heavy transportation and heat production for both industries and households need to be developed to become completely independent of fossil fuels. Energy Now 2018 will take a closer look at the role of storage and conversion of energy as the missing link between the supply and demand of energy in a sustainable system.
The European Union set key targets for 2020, 2030 and a long-term goal. One of these targets concerns a cut in the greenhouse gas emissions. One of the well-known and important greenhouse gasses is CO2, the emission of CO2 is high and needs to be reduced rapidly. The problem is that for this reduction our economy, lifestyle and infrastructure need to change. How are we going to do this? What do we need to achieve this goal? And is it possible to maintain our current way of living if we want to do so? We will look for answers at the Energy Now congress 2017 ‘Innovating towards zero’. The day will be divided in theme lines with topics such as offshore wind, urban energy and micro grids.
The urge for rethinking the current energy system is undeniable and it should be approached in a more positive and fresh manner. Plenty of new ideas are being developed in the energy sector, creating opportunities for us as students. Though it is a challenge to reveal those opportunities. Moreover, we should overcome the gap between fundamental research and application in society. Students possess the perfect qualities for achieving these ambitions since they have limited constraints and are open minded.