Mission innovation IC1 is an initiative launched after the COP21 summit to bring together national experts related to Innovation Challenge #1 (IC#1) for a focused technical discussion designed to yield deep insights into smart grids main challenges. This international workshop organized a public event on November 12th and a closed-door meeting on November 21st, the “1st IC#1 Industry Workshop” on November 22nd, as well as a full day high-level public event on November 23rd.
Mission innovation IC1 brings together experts, industry leaders and Mission Innovation representatives to discuss how smart grids can help accelerate the growing capacity of renewable energy generation in electricity grids, while ensuring affordable costs.
At the occasion of European Utility Week, Mission Innovation organized a public event on November 12th, in partnership with Think Smartgrids. This public event was inaugurated by the IC1 co leads, Luciano Martini (Italy, RSE), and Sanjai Bajpai (India DST), and Olivier Grabette (RTE). Representatives from France, Italy China and India were present, as well as the head of the French network regulator CRE, Mr Dominique Jamme. A keynote speech was made by Dave Turk (IEA), about “Accelerating Innovation for the Clean Energy Transitions”.
During the public event, a round table moderated by Luciano Martini (ISGAN) on the challenges of network digitalization with Freycenon Franck (Atos), Yves Barlier (Enedis), Maher Chebbo, ETIP SNET, Christian Feisst (Greencom) and Robert Denda (Enel). The panelists discussed the impact of digitalization on utilities’ business models and for citizens.
A second round table, moderated by Valerie Anne Lencznar (Managing Director of Think Smartgrids), then focused on business models for Smart grids, with Sally Fenton (UK Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform), Reji Kumar Pillai (GSGF), N. P. Padhy (IITR India), Maarten Noeninckx (ExCo Vice Chair, Strategic Advisor Directorate-General Energy ISGAN), and Alexandre Prieur (Director, Renewable energy integration, Canmet Energy-Varennes). As Sally Fenton put it, “We must at the same time green finance and finance green projects”.
On November 13th and 14th, Mission Innovation organized two deep-dive workshops, which were focused around the IC1 experts’ cohorts. The first was held in Business France’s premises and the second at the Enedis showroom. During those two days the issues of the Smart Grid Innovation Accelerator project were discussed, as well as the future goals of the IC1 and ETIP-SNET 2030 roadmap, along with reports from the French DSO/TSO.
Future electricity systems will have to be decarbonized, but also affortable and reliable, while integrating decentralized renewable energy sources.
Think Smartgrids