With more than 575 exhibiting companies from 20 countries, some 280-plus speakers and the prospect of well over 7,000 delegates from all over the world, All-Energy 2011 is on course to set a new record.
The Aberdeen conference and exhibition has broken record after record during its relatively short life, and is unquestionably the UK’s largest “renewables” event and one of the largest in the EU.
It has also pumped millions of pounds into the city’s economy that might otherwise have gone elsewhere.
Coupled with Offshore Europe 2011, to be staged in September, it should also help boost the coffers of Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre.
Strictly speaking, All-Energy was conceived as a crossover show; one where the putative maritime renewables sector especially could interface with the North Sea oil & gas supply chain, generating both learning and business opportunities.
Europe’s energy capital remains the best place in Europe to achieve this objective, and this is evidenced by the mix of exhibitors – many from the oil & gas supply chain itself – and powerful conference programme.
All-Energy’s stature as a key event of global relevance also stands to benefit from the outcome of the Scottish election staged earlier this month, which saw the Scottish National Party achieve a commanding majority.
First Minister Alex Salmond is scheduled to deliver a welcoming address by satellite at All-Energy’s opening plenary on Wednesday.
He is expected to reiterate his energy powerhouse vision for Scotland, one that embraces not just wind, wave, tidal, biomass and other renewable, but offshore oil & gas too.
Further, Scotland’s First Minister is expected to warn London not to obstruct progress on both fronts.
Other opening plenary big names are scheduled to include:
o Event chairman, Andrew Jamieson. Andrew is also chairman of RenewableUK and regulation and markets director, ScottishPower Renewables
o Sir Ian Wood, chairman of the Wood Group
o Duncan Botting, business innovation and growth director for power, industry and utilities at Parsons Brinckerhoff
o Niall Stuart, CEO of industry group Scottish Renewables
As would be expected, the conference places considerable emphasis on maritime renewables – policy, regulation, projects and technologies.
A sizeable day-one slot will be devoted to Aberdeen’s own flagship – the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, which late last year attracted an EU grant of up to 40million euros. Core owners are Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group and Vattenfall, but with subsea contracting major Technip also built into the EOWDC joint venture.
Indeed, Technip’s involvement in the project is indicative of the growing interest now being shown by the oil & gas supply chain in maritime renewables opportunities, especially engineering, project management, construction, and operations and maintenance.
However, the oil & gas supply chain has been slower than anticipated in terms of engagement, with Sir Ian Wood late last year whipping up fears that the sector might miss the renewables boat.
Other aspects of the renewables diaspora will also be given considerable attention, not least smart grid, bio-energy, geothermal, hydrogen and fuel cells, sustainable transport and how carbon capture fits into the equation – especially the retrofitting of effective clean-up systems to conventional fossil fuel power stations.
Finance is a major topic and even public perceptions of the renewables revolution will be explored.
Regional groups will be amply represented, including EEEGR (East of England Energy Group), NOF Energy, North Scotland Industries Group and AREG.