Extra - Conferences - ECN 50 Years

Scientific symposium in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of ECN

Petten, The Netherlands, 17-18 November 2005 

Stabilisation of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations in order to mitigate the risks involved with climate change will call for substantial reductions in energy-related CO₂ emissions. The required emission reductions can only be achieved if the energy sector is subjected to fundamental changes in the long term, necessitating carefully chosen strategies in the short term. Realising a transformation of current energy production practices is challenging, given the long lifetime of existing energy infrastructures and the lead times associated with the development and deployment of new non-carbon technologies. The energy transition needed is unlikely to materialise without the implementation of effective climate policies as well as the adoption of judicious R&D and technology deployment strategies.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary ECN organises a conference to discuss climate mitigation strategies and their implications for energy technology development. Key questions to be addressed are: What are the most important considerations of countries in Europe in developing long-term climate mitigation strategies? What are the key drivers of long-term developments in the energy system? What are, among European countries, the common elements in the design of future energy infrastructures? To what extent can collaborative goals be formulated to accomplish climate change control?

Several countries in Europe are developing national energy strategies that aim at achieving long-term CO₂ emission reductions. As important uncertainties exist, e.g. related to the costs of new and renewable energy technologies and the availability of fossil fuels, energy strategies are constructed along alternative scenarios of future energy prices and resource availability. It is the challenge of governments to develop policy strategies on climate mitigation, energy and R&D and technology deployment that match and are ‘robust’ under a range of possible realisations of future energy production and consumption patterns. Simultaneously, it is the challenge of energy analysts and researchers to provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the evolution of our energy system, which policy makers can employ in their strategic considerations.

While the main focus of this conference will be the nature of the energy strategies required in Europe, the way these will be affected by those in the US and Japan, as well as in developing countries - such as China and India - will also be subject of discussion.

The conference findings and lessons learned will be published in the form of presentations and a summary are formulated to advice policy-makers engaged in energy policy, climate policy and energy R&D decisions.

For more information please contact Bob van der Zwaan.