Energy Ireland 2025 Conference Programme

Focusing on implementation and delivery

Day 1 Wednesday 11th June 2025

08.15 REGISTRATION AND MORNING COFFEE

09.00 Chair's welcome and introduction:
  • J Owen Lewis, Chair
    IIEA Working Group on Climate and Energy


09.05 IRELAND’S ENERGY FUTURE
  • MINISTERIAL ADDRESS: Ireland’s energy policy priorities
    Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy (Invited)
  • MINISTERIAL ADDRESS: The path to net zero energy
    Caoimhe Archibald MLA, Minister for the Economy Northern Ireland
  • A regulatory framework for a secure, decarbonised energy system
    Tanya Harrington, Commissioner
    Commission for Regulation of Utilities
  • Creating a cleaner energy future for Ireland
    Declan Meally, Director of Business, Public Sector and Transport
    Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
  • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

11.00 COFFEE/ EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

    11.30 IRELAND’S ENERGY TRANSITION IN A FRACTURED WORLD
    • The return of Trump: Implications for EU climate and energy policy
      Cecilia Trasi, Research Analyst
      Bruegel
    • Redefining energy security in the age of electricity
      Cillian O'Donoghue, Policy Director
      Eurelectric

    PANEL DISCUSSION: IRELAND’S ENERGY TRANSITION IN A FRACTURED WORLD
    • Ronan Galwey, Interim CEO, Gas Networks Ireland
    • Klair Neenan, Managing Director, SSE Airtricity (Invited)
    • Denis O’Sullivan, Assets Director, Bord Gáis Energy
    • Cecilia Trasi, Research Analyst, Bruegel
    • Senior representative, EirGrid

    13:00 LUNCH AND EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

    14:00 MEETING THE CHALLENGES IN DELIVERING THE ENERGY TRANSITION
    • CHAIR:
      Úna Nic Giolla Choille
    • Regulatory challenges in delivering the energy transition
      John French, Chief Executive
      Utility Regulator
    • Legal aspects of implementing regulation and project delivery
      Niamh McGovern, Partner
      Arthur Cox
    • Financing Ireland’s energy transition
      Linda Clake, Deputy Director, Corporate Finance
      Goodbody
    • Meeting the challenges in delivering Ireland’s energy transition
      Colm O’Neill, Partner
      KPMG
    • Meeting the challenges of moving to our zero e-mission future
      Dara Lynott, CEO
      Electricity Association of Ireland
    • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

      14:00 DEVELOPING IRELAND’S OFFSHORE ENERGY RESOURCES
      • A regulatory framework for developing Ireland’s offshore energy resources
        Laura Brien, CEO
        Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA)
      • Regulatory framework for offshore wind development
        Richard Murphy, Partner
        Pinsent Masons
      • Environmental considerations in offshore wind licensing
        Caroline Roche, Offshore Environment & Consents Manager
        Energia
      • Offshore renewable energy: emerging technologies
        Aisling Greene, Head of Offshore Environment and Future Development
        Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
      • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

      16.30 ENERGY IRELAND DRINKS RECEPTION

      Day 2: Thursday 12th June 2025

      08.30 REGISTRATION AND MORNING COFFEE

        09.00 Séischomhrá

        • Paddy Hayes, Chief Executive
          ESB

        • In dialogue with


        • Jude Webber, Ireland Correspondent
          Financial Times
          09:30 ELECTRICITY NETWORK AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT
          • CHAIR:
            Stacy Feldmann, Senior Regulatory Manager
            SSE

          • Electricity market design: 24/7 PPAs and implications of REMA for Irish market
            Andy Kelly, Director
            AFRY
          • Price Review 6 for electricity networks
            Fergal Mulligan, Commissioner
            Commission for Regulation for Utilities
          • Higher Ground: long duration storage and the energy transition
            Paddy Larkin, Chief Executive Officer
            Mutual Energy
          • Solar energy development in Ireland: opportunities and challenges
            Eva Barrett, Director of Policy and Regulation
            Irish Solar Energy Association
          • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

          09:30 GAS MARKET AND NETWORK
          • CHAIR:
            Úna Nic Giolla Choille

          • Biomethane: Towards a carbon-neutral gas network
            Karen Doyle, Head of Business Development
            Gas Networks Ireland
          • Unlocking European biogas and biomethane
            Marzia Sesini, Research Team Leader
            Florence School of Regulation
          • The role of green hydrogen in Ireland’s future energy mix
            Aodhan McAleer, Hydrogen and Gas Storage Manager
            ESB
          • The French biomethane ladder: progress to date and looking to the future
            Nicolas Spilliaert, International Project Manager
            GRDF (Invited)
          • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

          11.00 COFFEE/ EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

            11:30 ELECTRICITY NETWORK AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT
            • CHAIR:
              Stacy Feldmann, Senior Regulatory Manager
              SSE

            • Future grid: looking beyond the 2030 network plan
              David Noronha, Head of Future Networks and Strategic Offshore Planning
              EirGrid
            • The critical role of the active customer in driving the energy transition
              David Cashman, Business Consulting Director
              EY Ireland
            • Topic tbc
              Senior representative,
              Huawei
            • Electricity interconnection: supporting the development of renewable sources
              Simon Ludlam, Chief Executive Officer
              MaresConnect Interconnector
            • Small can be beautiful: small modular nuclear reactors
              Tony Roulstone, Department of Engineering
              University of Cambridge
            • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

            11:30 SUSTAINABLE HEAT AND HEAT NETWORKS
            • CHAIR:
              Pauline O’Reilly, CEO
              Irish District Energy Association

            • Decarbonising Ireland’s heat demand
              Brian Carroll, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency Built Environment, Retrofit and Heat Policy
              Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
            • Accelerating the deployment of thermal energy storage to support the grid
              John O’Shea, Heat & Electricity Lead
              Codema
            • The role of cogeneration in delivering sustainable heat
              Alexandra Tudoroiu-Lakavičė, Head of Policy
              The European Association for the Promotion of Cogeneration
            • Decarbonising the residential heating sector
              Philip Hannon, Chief Executive
              Alliance for Zero Carbon Heating
            • Geothermal energy‘s role in a sustainable heat transition
              Michiel Harings, Manager Asset Management Gas Transition
              Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN) (Invited)
            • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

            13.00 LUNCH AND EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

              14.00 THE AI REVOLUTION AND THE ENERGY SECTOR
              • CHAIR:
                Neil Walker, Director
                Walker Energy Consulting
              • The AI revolution in the energy sector
                Speaker TBC
              • Ireland’s energy demand and data centres
                Paul Deane, Energy Researcher
                University College Cork
              • AI as a tool for the energy sector
                Craig O’Mahony, Energy & Utilities Lead, Ireland
                Amazon Web Services

              PANEL DISCUSSION: AI AND THE ENERGY SECTOR
              • Paul Deane, Energy Researcher, University College Cork
              • Susan Leavy, Assistant Professor, University College Dublin, and Member, Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council (Invited)
              • Michael McCarthy, Director, Cloud Infrastructure Ireland
              • Craig O’Mahony, Energy & Utilities Lead, Ireland, Amazon Web Services
              • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

              16.00 Conference close