Government Business

Energy, and the questions that surround it, play an increasing role in our everyday lives. How to generate it renewably? How to reduce what we use? Where we buy it from and the increasing cost of it and how to cope with the results of generation?
    
The Energy Event, sponsored by Total Gas & Power, takes place on 10-11 September at The National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham. It is the UK’s only annual exhibition and conference to focus solely on energy procurement, energy management and energy efficiency (including water efficiency).
    
Key to the success of The Energy Event is the free to attend, seminar and conference programme. Hosting conferences and seminars in 2008 will be Energy Services and Technology Association (ESTA), Major Energy Users Council (MEUC), Envirowise, Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE), British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) and the Energy Information Centre (EIC).

Seminar highlights
Of great interest to readers of GB is the ESTA and CIBSE joint seminar, which takes place on Wednesday 10 September entitled ‘Energy Performance in Buildings Regulations: What they mean for UK Business and the Public Sector’. This seminar will seek to explain what the legal responsibilities are concerning the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and what action has to be taken and by when. The seminar will also concentrate on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Display Energy Certificates (DECs).
    
Other aspects of the seminar include information for energy assessors on their responsibilities, accredited bodies, how to become an assessor for EPCs and DECs and how to operate in legal structures. The final part of the joint seminar, taking place on the afternoon of the 10th, looks at plant inspections concentrating on the legal requirements, approach and operating improvements of air conditioning and the improvement of boilers.

Energy and cost savings
During the event, ESTA will also be running seminars about how companies can save energy and operating costs by applying ‘energy management’ to their buildings and processes. Its ‘Fundamentals of Energy Management’ seminar covers: site energy policy; completing a site energy assessment; implementing energy cost reduction programmes; support, advice, finance and loans, while the ‘Advanced and Innovative Energy Management’ seminar looks at: low cost metering and energy management of smaller sites; voltage optimisation - techniques and application; and improving leaky buildings – Infra Red Thermography.
    
As part of a joint presentation with BCAS on ‘Compressed Air’ ESTA will also address: New plant: what to install in new systems for higher efficiency; existing systems: assessing performance; improvement; replacement; reducing leaks to lower demand.
    
Seminars held by the MEUC will look at ‘Energy: The next 12 months’ covering energy prices, strategies and concerns. The MEUC will also host a ‘Low Carbon Strategies’ seminar focusing on how consumers are investing in a low carbon future through renewables or self-generation, how contracts are working for long-term agreements and how the Government is progressing the Carbon Reduction Commitment. These seminars will consist of short presentations followed by open-mic panel sessions.
    
EIC will be hosting an ‘Energy Purchasing & Market Fundamentals’ seminar for major energy users on both days giving visitors an exclusive opportunity to hear about the most advanced strategies for protecting their businesses from market volatility.
    
During the seminars, Dr. Craig Lowrey, head of Energy Markets at EIC will address the key issues affecting global energy prices and highlight the implications of government policy on UK businesses.

Increasing prices
With energy markets seeing wholesale prices soar to record levels resulting in increased costs for many business customers, Dr. Lowrey, a frequent contributor on energy issues across television and radio, will also examine how the situation is being compounded by an increase in the non-wholesale element of bills through new transmission and distribution charges.
 
“Energy is very much a global issue so we’re going look at the UK’s presence on the global energy stage and the implications for end users in terms of price determination in the years ahead,” explains Dr. Lowrey. “The industry is facing a whole new set of challenges and buyers need to understand that what has worked in the past won’t automatically work in the future.”
    
“But if businesses are armed with the right information, they will be able to better understand the implications of market developments and can work on how to minimise the impact of soaring energy prices –these are the issues we’ll be focusing on at The Energy Event.”
    
The EIC seminar on Energy Purchasing & Market Fundamentals will take place on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 September, 13.00 – 14.30 in the Kirkmichael Suite at The National Motorcycle Museum.

Saving water
Highlighting the water efficiency element of the seminars, Envirowise will be hosting a seminar about how businesses can cut water bills in half by adopting a systematic approach to water management. The seminar will help delegates identify ways to minimise water use by understanding where waste occurs in their businesses and how to reduce it.
    
Those attending the seminar will also be given advice on The Water Technology List (WTL), which is managed by Defra and HM Revenue and Customs in partnership with Envirowise, to encourage businesses to use water efficient technologies. Envirowise will explain how, by using products on the WTL that are recognised as using water more sustainably, businesses can expect to benefit from up-front tax relief through the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme, as well as an ongoing saving on water bills.

Insight into energy
Alongside these core sessions, one of the most newsworthy additions to the 2008 event is the independent Energy Insight conference that focuses on energy procurement, supply security, risk management, CSR and energy management.
    
Energy Insight is aimed firmly at those directors and senior managers charged with addressing energy costs and issues surrounding supply at board level. Some of the world’s foremost experts will be speaking at the free-to-attend conference that takes place on the mornings of 10 and 11 September.
    
Among the speakers is Jens Boening, MD of WeatherBill UK. Formerly VP of Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe, where he was head of weather derivatives structuring and origination for all non-US markets, Jens will speak on the subject of weather derivatives and how businesses can protect revenue and control costs from the impact of 'bad' weather.
    
Also speaking, on the subject of ‘Commodity Risk Management’, is Mark Dickinson, founder of leading energy risk management company Encore International. Recognised as one of the leading authorities on energy risk management, Mark sits on the risk committees of several plc’s and will discuss how it is possible to protect budgets and reduce risk without losing the opportunity price swings can bring.
    
The programme of speakers at Energy Insight aims to address the future of the energy debate. For example, David Porter OBE, CEO of the Association of Electricity Producers, will be speaking about the security of supply, while Alan Aldridge, executive director of ESTA, delivers a speech about the extremely topical Carbon Reduction Commitment on day two.
    
Other speakers and topics include: Patrick Heren, MD, Heren Energy – The UK Energy Gap; Mike Hogg, GM, Shell Gas UK – The Future of Gas…Carbon Neutrality; Philip Wolfe, CEO, Renewable Energy Association - The Energy Mix; Mark Chadwick, CEO, Carbon Clear - Carbon Management; Delvin Lane, Carbon Trust - Review of the Emissions Trading Scheme. To view the up-to-date speaker program and to ensure a place, delegates planning to attend Energy Insight must register in advance online at www.theenergyevent.com .

Exhibition features
Guaranteeing a great use of time, visitors to the event also get the chance to visit the exhibition that features the top companies in a wide variety of fields. Amongst the 120 exhibitors, disciplines such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning, lighting, energy monitoring and targeting are well represented as are those on the energy procurement, consultancy and purchasing side.
    
One more reason for visiting The Energy Event is that you could become the proud owner of a brand new Harley Davidson motorcycle, courtesy of Encore International, the energy procurement and price risk management company1. To be in with a chance of winning, visitors should head to stand 216 or 222 where their details will be entered into the prize draw.
    
Emphasising the importance of The Energy Event in the calendar is the calibre of its sponsors. The event’s official sponsor for 2008 is Total Gas & Power with other sponsors including EDF Energy, Encore International, Llumarlite, Shell Gas Direct and The Utilities Exchange. The Energy Event is a carbon neutral affair with Carbon Clear acting as the event’s carbon offsetting partner.
    
Visiting The Energy Event makes good sense. The venue is easy to access with free car parking, the seminars contain a mix of practical advice, legislative insight and discussions of the latest issues plus the exhibition offers product innovations and experienced service providers.

Notes
1 Terms and conditions apply

For more information
For more information and to register visit: www.theenergyevent.com