09.04.2024
A secure and sustainable energy supply is not possible without a properly prepared infrastructure. The development of the electrical network must take into account electrification trends and industry innovations, the challenges of climate change and the still tense geopolitical situation. Whether the electricity supply system in Latvia can already be called sustainable and secure, what needs to be done to improve it in the future and how Latvia looks against the background of other European countries – these will be the main points of discussion at the fourth Sadales tīkls AS Energy Supply Innovation Forum AC/DC Tech. It will take place on 10 May from 10:00, and those interested will be able to follow it online – on the Sadales tīkls Facebook page and LinkedIn account, as well as in the live streaming section of the Delfi.lv portal.
The theme of this year’s Forum is a secure and sustainable electricity supply. The conference will be opened by the Latvian Minister of Climate and Energy, Kaspars Melnis, and remotely by the European Union (EU) Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simpson. This will be followed by expert presentations and panel discussions.
“We still do not have fully clear answers nationally on the optimal balance of electricity generation and consumption capacities and energy portfolio in Latvia in 2025, 2030 and 2050. However, the development of electrical network capacity is a long-term process, measured over several years, so we need to be able to forecast and develop the electrical network today that will be needed in five, ten and more years. The development of the electricity supply system is a never-ending process and action must in fact be ahead of the curve in order to ensure that the system meets the needs of consumers and the economy, and helps to achieve the climate neutrality targets we have set. How to electrify business, transport, heating, and how to do it all in a coordinated and efficient way – this is what we will discuss at this year’s forum,” says Sandis Jansons, Chairman of the Management Board of Sadales tīkls.
Weather reporter Toms Bricis will explain whether a “red alert” is in order when it comes to climate change, while Tomass Liepnieks, Director of Innovation Management at Sadales tīkls, will present the electrical network innovations that Sadales tīkls is already putting into practice today. Sandis Jansons, CEO of Sadales tīkls, together with colleagues from the International Energy Agency, will outline how Latvia compares to other European countries in the area of electricity supply. Marine Krasovska, Head of the Financial Technology Supervision Department at Latvijas Banka, will speak about the importance of the regulatory framework for innovation, while Karīna Viskuba, a participant in the Future Energy Leaders in Latvia programme, will offer a recipe for balancing electricity demand.
Experts from the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the Public Utilities Commission and other industry organisations will discuss the necessary investments in electricity supply infrastructure and sources of funding in the panel discussion Sustainability and Security in Electricity Supply. The upcoming electrification and new challenges will be discussed by experts from the Ministry of Economics, the Latvian Association of Heating Enterprises and manufacturing companies in the panel discussion Green, but Profitable? Electrification in Business.
The programme of the Forum and more information is available at sadalestikls.lv/acdc.
The AC/DC Tech Forum is organised by Sadales tīkls AS, the Latvian electricity distribution system operator, with the aim to facilitate discussions on the transformation of the industry among decision-makers, experts of the field, market participants and companies, as well as to inform the general public about the challenges and the upcoming changes that can be expected in the power supply industry. The Forum is an annual industry event. The first AC/DC Tech Forum took place in 2021.