5th European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2007
STEPPING STONES TO SIGNIFICANT MARKET SHARES FOR RENEWABLES
The European forum for market players and decision makers in the renewable energy industry
13 and 14 September 2007, Lausanne, Switzerland
The 5th European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2007 was held on 13 and 14 September 2007 in Lausanne, Switzerland, returning, as it were, to the venue of the third conference in the series. While a steadily increasing number of delegates from European countries had prompted a move to Berlin in 2005, the decision to return to Switzerland was above all a tribute to the main sponsor of the event, Energie Ouest Suisse (EOS).
Political developments, however, also influenced the decision for Switzerland: with the "Swiss New Energy Plan," the Federal Government has opted for a hybrid system of feed-in tariffs and voluntary trading to promote renewable energies in their country – a system that essentially bridges the two positions dominating debates at previous Green Power Marketing Conferences. Lausanne hence provided an excellent platform for a two-day review of trends and developments in the industry.
Attendance - Internationalisation despite Swiss context
The move back into the Swiss context, both by virtue of location and content, was by no means an impediment to international participation – the number of non-Swiss delegates even rose compared to Lausanne 2004! 109 out of 183 participants at the 5th European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2007 – a record number in the history of the series, no less! – came from European countries other than Switzerland. This is 16 more than in 2004, and testimony to the gradual internationalisation of our conference format.
Senior management remained the predominant professional stratum among the audience. The number of CEOs and board members increased from 34 in Berlin 2005 to 36 at the 5th European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2007. Key account or product managers reached an all-time high of 65 participants – the continuation of a trend that can be traced to the very beginning of the series.
Obviously, the European Conference on Green Power Marketing has established itself as the European forum for market players and decision makers in the renewable energy industry! We were honoured and delighted to welcome such a great number of delegates and are hoping for another record-breaking performance at our next event.
Conference focus - More harmony in controversial issue
Promising "stepping stones to significant market shares for renewables", the 5th European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2007 addressed a controversial issue that has been generating much debate in the industry (and media) of late: how foster sustainable growth in an increasingly maturing green power market, willed to expand by politicians and consumers, but in many areas still not fully competitive with conventional sources of energy? While speakers and participants did not profess unanimity over this question, it yet transpired that the once raging conflict between proponents of either national support schemes or European-wide trading of green power certificates had abated. Both can help achieve the ambitious EU 20 % targets, and both, in fact, may be subject to cross-border harmonisation in the long run.
A first step in this direction was instigated at the conference. Shortly before the grand opening, in the morning hours of 13 September, a small circle of high-ranking political and economic representatives from the EU and Switzerland – all participants of the 5th European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2007 – met on invitation of the conference management. This informal gathering was meant to stimulate discussion about transnational energy policies in the wider context of the ongoing Swiss-European dialogue.
