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Welcome coffee
Opening session: A Blueprint for Smart & Sustainable DHC
Aurélie Beauvais•Niels Fuglsang•Birger Lauersen•Kadri Simson•Frauke Thies•Chiara Martinelli

A new political mandate is on the horizon, and with it, the prospect of continuing our decarbonisation efforts right up to the next major milestone: 2040.

The war in Ukraine exposed Europe's critical dependence on fossil fuels and the central role of the heating and cooling sector in breaking away from them. Could the next mandate be the driving force to fast-track the EU heating and cooling transition? What will it take, and what role can district heating and cooling play in this development?

In this opening session, we will be presenting Euroheat & power's "Blueprint for smart and sustainable district heating and cooling", a set of high-level proposals and recommendations on how to harness the full potential of heating & cooling networks and exchange with high-level European and national policymakers on the way forward."

  • Aurélie Beauvais (Managing Director of Euroheat & Power)

    Aurélie Beauvais

    Managing Director of Euroheat & Power
  • Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament)

    Niels Fuglsang

    Member of the European Parliament
  • Birger Lauersen (President at Euroheat & Power)

    Birger Lauersen

    President at Euroheat & Power
  • Kadri Simson (European Commissioner for Energy at European Commission)

    Kadri Simson

    European Commissioner for Energy at European Commission
  • Frauke Thies (Executive Director of Agora Energiewende)

    Frauke Thies

    Executive Director of Agora Energiewende
  • Chiara Martinelli (Director of Climate Action Network Europe asbl)

    Chiara Martinelli

    Director of Climate Action Network Europe asbl
Coffee break
District Heating and Electrification: synergies and opportunities
Matthieu Ballu•Thomas Nowak•Olivier Racle•Peter Van-Den-Heede•Emma Wiesner•Aurélie Beauvais

Supporting both district heating and electrification policies is sometimes depicted as a contradiction. Is it, though? Projects on the ground paint a different story, where district heating and electricity work hand in hand to achieve a more flexible and decarbonised energy system. What synergies and opportunities lie behind the deeper integration of electricity and district energy infrastructure? What are the regulatory and industry needs? In this session, association, policy and corporate leaders will share views on how to unlock this extraordinary potential.

  • Matthieu Ballu (Policy Officer, Directorate General for Energy, Renewable Energy Unit of European Commission)

    Matthieu Ballu

    Policy Officer, Directorate General for Energy, Renewable Energy Unit of European Commission
  • Thomas Nowak (Secretary General at European Heat Pump Association)

    Thomas Nowak

    Secretary General at European Heat Pump Association
  • Olivier Racle (Head of District Heating & Cooling at ENGIE)

    Olivier Racle

    Head of District Heating & Cooling at ENGIE
  • Peter Van-Den-Heede (Head of Sales and Marketing ABB Motion, Belux at ABB)

    Peter Van-Den-Heede

    Head of Sales and Marketing ABB Motion, Belux at ABB
  • Emma Wiesner (Member of the European Parliament)

    Emma Wiesner

    Member of the European Parliament
  • Aurélie Beauvais (Managing Director of Euroheat & Power)

    Aurélie Beauvais

    Managing Director of Euroheat & Power
Lunch break
Accelerating building renovations for ambitious heat transitions
Femke De Jong•Adrian Joyce•Stefan Moser•Charlotte Owen•Michael Hunnicke Jensen

To deploy efficient heating and cooling solutions and reduce energy poverty, it is imperative to accelerate the renovation of Europe's worst-performing buildings. District heating and cooling networks offer significant energy efficiency gains, reaching their full decarbonisation potential when combined with building renovation strategies. Despite ambitious energy efficiency targets, building renovation is stagnating in Europe: how can we close the gap and develop integrated renovation strategies harnessing the potential of district heating and cooling solutions?

  • Femke De Jong (Director, Buildings Programme of European Climate Foundation)

    Femke De Jong

    Director, Buildings Programme of European Climate Foundation
  • Adrian Joyce (Secretary General at EuroACE)

    Adrian Joyce

    Secretary General at EuroACE
  • Stefan Moser (Head of Unit, Buildings and Products at DG ENER at European Commission)

    Stefan Moser

    Head of Unit, Buildings and Products at DG ENER at European Commission
  • Charlotte Owen (Head of Policy and Local Partnerships at Hemiko)

    Charlotte Owen

    Head of Policy and Local Partnerships at Hemiko
  • Michael Hunnicke Jensen (Head of EU Public Affairs at Grundfos)

    Michael Hunnicke Jensen

    Head of EU Public Affairs at Grundfos
Coffee break
Objective 2030: quick-wins for a fossil-free future
Morten Helveg Petersen•Eloi Piel•Michael Strebl•Brian Vad Mathiesen•Maiju Westergren•Patrick van der Stigchel

"Achieving energy independence" and "breaking free from fossil fuel use" are two sides of the same coin. In May 2022, the European Commission presented its proposal to RePowerEU, to drastically reduce Europe's consumption of imported natural gas while guaranteeing an affordable and secure energy supply to all European citizens. District heating and cooling solutions have a strong value proposition to drive this effort, but how much can be achieved and what is needed to make this happen? This session will host the exclusive launch of Aalborg University's study, quantifying the sector's contribution to reducing the use of fossil fuels in Europe by 2030 and reflecting on the policy framework needed to make this happen.

  • Morten Helveg Petersen (Member of the European Parliament)

    Morten Helveg Petersen

    Member of the European Parliament
  • Eloi Piel (Director of Market Intelligence at Euroheat & Power)

    Eloi Piel

    Director of Market Intelligence at Euroheat & Power
  • Michael Strebl (Chairman of the Executive Board at Wien Energie)

    Michael Strebl

    Chairman of the Executive Board at Wien Energie
  • Brian Vad Mathiesen (Professor at Aalborg University)

    Brian Vad Mathiesen

    Professor at Aalborg University
  • Maiju Westergren (Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Public Affairs at Helen)

    Maiju Westergren

    Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Public Affairs at Helen
  • Patrick van der Stigchel (Vice president of Benelux and south west EU at Kingspan Logstor)

    Patrick van der Stigchel

    Vice president of Benelux and south west EU at Kingspan Logstor
Coffee break
Global District Energy Climate Awards Ceremony
Aurélie Beauvais•Zhuolun Chen•Aksana Krasatsenka•Michael Wiggin•Robin Wiltshire•Rob Thornton

It is now more important than ever to recognise the excellence and resilience of district energy systems worldwide. It's time to award energy efficiency, innovation, and best-in-class examples of sustainable district heating & cooling solutions. This is the spirit behind the 2023 edition of the Global District Energy Climate Awards, an international initiative coordinated by the IEA-DHC, UN Environment Programme, Euroheat & Power, the International District Energy Association (IDEA) and the Asian Pacific Urban Energy Association (APUEA). Join us for a memorable award ceremony, followed by a cocktail and dinner reception!

  • Aurélie Beauvais (Managing Director of Euroheat & Power)

    Aurélie Beauvais

    Managing Director of Euroheat & Power
  • Zhuolun Chen (Senior Advisor at UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre)

    Zhuolun Chen

    Senior Advisor at UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre
  • Aksana Krasatsenka (Director of Knowledge Transfer at Euroheat & Power)

    Aksana Krasatsenka

    Director of Knowledge Transfer at Euroheat & Power
  • Michael Wiggin (Director of The Boltzmann Institute)

    Michael Wiggin

    Director of The Boltzmann Institute
  • Robin Wiltshire (UK representative and Chairman at IEA-DHC)

    Robin Wiltshire

    UK representative and Chairman at IEA-DHC
  • Rob Thornton (President & CEO of International District Energy Association (IDEA))

    Rob Thornton

    President & CEO of International District Energy Association (IDEA)
Networking drinks and dinner
Aurélie Beauvais•Morten Helveg Petersen•Birger Lauersen•Martin Rigaud

Join us to celebrate the district heating and cooling community, and pay tribute to the architects of the EU heating and cooling transition !

We will be honoured to welcome MEP Morten Helveg Petersen as special guest!

A big thanks to our Dinner Sponsor, Brugg Pipes.



See you at Bambino Café en Ville, Rue Ravenstein 64, 1000 Bruxelles

  • Aurélie Beauvais (Managing Director of Euroheat & Power)

    Aurélie Beauvais

    Managing Director of Euroheat & Power
  • Morten Helveg Petersen (Member of the European Parliament)

    Morten Helveg Petersen

    Member of the European Parliament
  • Birger Lauersen (President at Euroheat & Power)

    Birger Lauersen

    President at Euroheat & Power
  • Martin Rigaud (Head of BU District Heating Solutions at BRUGG Pipes)

    Martin Rigaud

    Head of BU District Heating Solutions at BRUGG Pipes
Welcome coffee
Efficient District Heating and Cooling: mapping the journey
Pauline Lucas•Tsvetelina Penkova•Hans van Steen•Valérie Séjourné•Victor Ferré•Samir Abboud

The recently adopted Energy Efficiency Directive establishes a clear path towards 100% renewables and waste heat supply and fully decarbonised DHC systems by 2050. This pathway requires, to a large extent, scaling significantly the use of renewable and waste heat sources in the district heating and cooling energy mix. This session will ask experts and policymakers to define the ingredients for achieving these goals while preserving and strengthening the sector's competitive edge regarding supply security and affordability.

  • Pauline Lucas (Policy Director of Euroheat & Power)

    Pauline Lucas

    Policy Director of Euroheat & Power
  • Tsvetelina Penkova (Member of the European Parliament)

    Tsvetelina Penkova

    Member of the European Parliament
  • Hans van Steen (Principal Adviser at DG ENER, European Commission)

    Hans van Steen

    Principal Adviser at DG ENER, European Commission
  • Valérie Séjourné (Managing Director of Solar Heat Europe)

    Valérie Séjourné

    Managing Director of Solar Heat Europe
  • Victor Ferré (Senior Director of Xylem)

    Victor Ferré

    Senior Director of Xylem
  • Samir Abboud (CEO of Innargi)

    Samir Abboud

    CEO of Innargi
Coffee break
Let's heat that money up! Financing the heating transition
Karine Bauler•Christian Bjerrum Jørgensen•Pierre De Montlivault•Oliver Frey•Gabriele Pesce•Lada Strelnikova

District heating and cooling is a highly cost-effective solution, but project financing isn't always straightforward. The complex administrative procedures and highly decentralised nature of DHC projects can pose real problems in accessing public funding. At the same time, high upfront costs and long payback periods sometimes challenge the involvement of private investors. In this session, our experts roll up their sleeves to identify promising financing schemes and the regulatory developments needed to improve access to clean, affordable heat for all European citizens.

  • Karine Bauler (Investments Director of Kyotherm)

    Karine Bauler

    Investments Director of Kyotherm
  • Christian Bjerrum Jørgensen (Energy Attaché at Royal Danish Embassy in Berlin)

    Christian Bjerrum Jørgensen

    Energy Attaché at Royal Danish Embassy in Berlin
  • Pierre De Montlivault (Chairman at FEDENE)

    Pierre De Montlivault

    Chairman at FEDENE
  • Oliver Frey (Chairman at ISOPLUS Group)

    Oliver Frey

    Chairman at ISOPLUS Group
  • Gabriele Pesce (Director of Innovation & Sustainable Finance at Euroheat & Power)

    Gabriele Pesce

    Director of Innovation & Sustainable Finance at Euroheat & Power
  • Lada Strelnikova (Senior Principal Sustainable Investments at DWS Group)

    Lada Strelnikova

    Senior Principal Sustainable Investments at DWS Group
Lunch break
Consumer protection and transparency: building trust with local communities
Wim Jacobs•Birger Lauersen•Tomislav Novosel•Frans de Heij

District heating and cooling networks already supply more than 65 million European citizens and are set to at least double in size by 2040. With great power comes great responsibility. Ensuring competitive and transparent prices as well as robust consumer protection frameworks is critical to build trust with policymakers and accelerate market adoption. What are the lessons learned from the various ownership and regulation models developed in Europe, to ensure transparency and meet consumer protection requirements? This session will shed light on the challenges and best practices for the sector, discussing the role of European and national consumer protection frameworks in the way forward.

  • Wim Jacobs (CEO & Co-founder of Zero Friction)

    Wim Jacobs

    CEO & Co-founder of Zero Friction
  • Birger Lauersen (President at Euroheat & Power)

    Birger Lauersen

    President at Euroheat & Power
  • Tomislav Novosel (Expert Advisor at REGEA)

    Tomislav Novosel

    Expert Advisor at REGEA
  • Frans de Heij (Program manager at Energie-Nederland)

    Frans de Heij

    Program manager at Energie-Nederland
Coffee break
Skills for Scale
Julie Beaufils•Donna Gartland•Nicolai Kipp•Aksana Krasatsenka•Igor Krupenski•Mantas Sekmokas

In October 2022, President Von Der Leyen declared 2023 the European Year of Skills to raise awareness on the exponential need for qualified workers driving the European energy and climate transition. The district heating and cooling industry is no exception: from engineering to project conception and installation, more workers are needed to achieve our expansion and decarbonisation objectives. How can industry, policymakers and organisations contribute to solving the gap?

  • Julie Beaufils (Secretary General at EuropeOn)

    Julie Beaufils

    Secretary General at EuropeOn
  • Donna Gartland (CEO of Codema - Dublin's Energy Agency)

    Donna Gartland

    CEO of Codema - Dublin's Energy Agency
  • Nicolai Kipp (Head of department at Danish District Heating Association)

    Nicolai Kipp

    Head of department at Danish District Heating Association
  • Aksana Krasatsenka (Director of Knowledge Transfer at Euroheat & Power)

    Aksana Krasatsenka

    Director of Knowledge Transfer at Euroheat & Power
  • Igor Krupenski (Co-founder and CEO of Enerhack)

    Igor Krupenski

    Co-founder and CEO of Enerhack
  • Mantas Sekmokas (Policy Advisor DG EMPLOYMENT at European Commission)

    Mantas Sekmokas

    Policy Advisor DG EMPLOYMENT at European Commission
Closing speech and networking drinks
Aurélie Beauvais
  • Aurélie Beauvais (Managing Director of Euroheat & Power)

    Aurélie Beauvais

    Managing Director of Euroheat & Power