The Energy Event (15th – 16th September, NEC, Birmingham), a European energy exhibition and conference for major energy users from i2i Events Group, has announced that it has partnered with the Major Energy Users’ Council (MEUC) to support its Utility Markets Policy Group.
The new group brings together customers, suppliers and other industry professionals to explore how the competitive industrial and commercial energy markets can be simplified and improved. It will also look at how a competitive water market can be best introduced from 2017. Representing all interests in the market place, the group plans to identify actions and share these with current and future policy makers.
The group has been formed in response to growing concerns that too many policy interventions have created uncertainty, delaying both demand-side and supply-side investments necessary to keep the lights on and promote improved energy efficiency. It will consider how government policies can accommodate for the fall in international energy prices, whilst continuing the drive to a low carbon future and retaining secure and competitively priced supplies.
Commenting on the partnership with the Energy Event, Andrew Buckley, MEUC’s director general said, “Central to the group’s work will be seeking ideas from across the country on what needs to be done. We welcome this long-term working partnership with the Energy Event which will enable us to canvass opinions from the entire industry. If we are to cut the red tape and create a future in which customers and suppliers can invest with confidence, it is essential that we create this cross-industry dialogue.”
“We are delighted to announce this new partnership with the MEUC,” said Russell Bacon, portfolio director at i2i Events Group. “By creating the Utility Markets Policy Group the MEUC, with the support of the Energy Event, is able to bring together leading figures within the energy industry. This will also bridge the gap between providers and end-users, which historically can be difficult. We are sure the group will play an important role in carving out the energy industry of the future.”
The group will officially launch with its inaugural meeting on Monday 2nd March in London. Customers will also have an opportunity to voice their views to the group at three breakfast meetings to be held around the country as part of MEUC’s Spring roadshow utility conferences and exhibitions in Bolton, Lancashire (17th March), Coventry (18th March) and London (24th March) these are free-to-attend events for end-users. The group will consist of 30+ thought leaders from across the industry and the issues raised during the roadshows will then be debated at the meetings.
The Energy Event is Europe’s most comprehensive energy procurement and management event. The show will provide access to the services, products and advice of more than 160 exhibitors. Significant organisations and new companies signed up for 2015 include Wingas, Lucy Electric, Lightsource RE, Airedale International Air Conditioning, Philips Lighting, Trend Control Systems, Kamstrup Instrumentation, BIU British Independent Utilities and Corona Energy. The Energy Event’s popular conference programme has more than 80 free-to-attend CPD sessions scheduled across three show theatres.
