29 May 2007

GPPi holds 2nd "Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues" conference

The second "Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogue" session entitled "Security of Supply in Liberalized Energy Markets: Transatlantic Experiences and Future Challenges" took place on 25 May 2007 at the Jolly Hotel Vivaldi in Berlin-Mitte. The conference, organized in collaboration with the German Marshall Fund of the United States and with additional financial support from Credit Suisse, provided a forum to review energy market liberalization experiences in the EU and the US, and to address several issues at the nexus of liberalized energy markets and the "security of supply" debate.

While appreciating the fact that energy markets in the EU and the US are structurally different, the conference sought to draw out best practice benchmarks with regard to approaches in energy market liberalization and regulatory models designed to facilitate competition while safeguarding security of supply.

The format of the conference included two panel discussions which focused on (i) the impact of energy market liberalization on security of supply; and (ii) meeting future energy needs in the context of liberalized energy markets. Following the first two panels, small working groups formed to address various questions relating to each panel topic, all of which included a short introductory presentation by an expert on the issue. The concluding section closed out the conference with a final discussion session. Some of the main topics discussed included the role of regulation in liberalized energy markets; the reliability of markets; investment; the role of Russia as a supplier of European energy; energy infrastructure security; and potential domestic sources of supply, including "clean coal" as well as energy efficiency measures.

The event was chaired by GPPi Associate Director Jan Martin Witte and included a number of top experts from both the US and Europe, including: Richard P. O'Neill, Chief Economic Advisor, US Federal Regulatory Commission; Rolf Hempelmann, member of the German Parliament (SPD); Alex de Alvarez, Deputy Director, Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration, US Department of Energy; Ulrik Stridbaek, Senior Policy Advisor, International Energy Agency; and Felix Würtenberger, Senior Advisor, Energie Baden-Würtemberg (EnBW), among others. To download the final agenda and full list of speakers/participants, please click here.

This conference was the second in GPPi's Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues series, a program which aims to promote a transatlantic dialogue on energy security by bringing together highly qualified young professionals focusing on these issues; and second, to contribute to establishing a transatlantic strategic community on energy security. 

The first Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues conference was held on 18-19 January 2007 at the Schloßhotel Cecilienhof in Potsdam (near Berlin). The conference, entitled “Energy Dragons Rising: Global Energy Governance and the Rise of China and India” was very successful due to the unique conference format as well as high-quality speakers, both of which provided for intimate and focused discussion. For more information on this conference, including a list of speakers and participants, please click here.

For more information on the Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues program, please click here or contact Wade Hoxtell.

A conference report will be available soon.

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