British Institute of Energy Economics Policy Conference 2024

BIEE Policy Conference 2024

Delivering the energy transition: pace over perfection

It is time to scale up delivery and bring down uncertainty in the GB energy transition.

For large parts of the challenge, such as renewable generation and networks, the basic route map for the transition is now clear. A vast scale-up is required, the sooner the better. We will have more strategic planning, but we still need markets to deliver at the desired speed, scale and cost.

In other areas, uncertainty reigns. It is not clear how we will successfully decarbonise domestic heat, the role of the consumer is hazy, the long-term future of the gas grid is undefined, and potential routes to catalysing investment are at the mercy of political winds.

Policymakers have to deploy the tools to drive the transition at a time when political bandwidth is spread thin, with enormous geopolitical tensions and elections looming at home and abroad. But energy is still big news. The investment opportunities are huge and cannot be separated from the wider macroeconomic decisions facing the country.

Once again, the BIEE’s biennial policy conference is a key opportunity for expert debate and discussion, with its unique ability to bring together experts in policymaking and delivery, academia and business. This year we will ask how GB can firm up the next steps in its energy transition in both delivery and policymaking, navigating both the gaps in current understanding and the political hurricane.

Key themes include:

• First-hand experience from policymakers and delivery bodies. How do we balance strategic plans and the power of markets?
• The links between the energy transition and the economy at large. Is the UK too late to the international race?
• Whole system design, market reforms and future system operation. How to incentivise the right things, in the right places, at the right times?
• Bringing in the consumer. Can households and the energy transition help each other?
• Crowding in finance and scaling up investment. What role for public investment and how to avoid delay?

View the programme here.

Register here.

Early bird discounts available until 31 July.

Confirmed Speakers (further speakers to be announced)

• Lord Deben
• Confederation of British Industry (CBI) – Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Executive
• Energy UK – Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive
• Flint Global – Giles Wilkes, Specialist Partner
• HSBC – TBA
• National Grid Ventures – Rebecca Sedler, Managing Director – National Grid Interconnectors
• NESO – TBA
• Octopus Energy – Rachel Fletcher, Director for Regulation and Economics
• Ofgem – Gavin Knott, Chief Economic Advisor
• Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) – David Joffe, Project Director – Delivery of rapid electricity system decarbonisation
• Shell – Mallika Ishwaran, Chief Economist