Intro + Kickoff

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Recording of Monday, June 22, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 12:05 .

Speaker

Mate Heizs
Chairman
SolarPower Europe
Belgium

Europe's solar market has lately been influenced by ESG and supply chain transparency. Yet shifting political priorities and tighter project budgets have been refocusing attention on feasibility and cost. How essential are sustainability criteria today? Considering supply security, raw material availability and circular economy principles, this session will explore how new EU regulations and market demands are reshaping ESG strategies in solar system design and the procurement of components.

Key topics:

  • Updates on European ESG policy frameworks
  • Forced labor regulation and transparency rules
  • CBAM and carbon-related trade measures
  • Sustainability strategies of manufacturers and offtakers
  • Recycling and its implications for raw material costs

Further Talks of this session:

Speaker

Mario Quintana Aroca
ESG Manager Europe
JinkoSolar
China

To Talk

Speaker

Alexander Plonka
Product Lifecycle Manager
KACO new energy GmbH - A Siemens Company

To Talk

Speaker

Matthias Stucki
Head of LCA Research Group
ZHAW - University of Applied Sciences Zurich
Switzerland

To Talk

To Talk

Speaker

Lukas Braun
E&D Engineer
SOLAR MATERIALS GmbH
Germany

Further Content
The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Enabling EVs as Flexible Storage: Regulatory Advances and Remaining Challenges in Germany

Monday, June 22, 2026, 01:00 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

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The accelerating deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy is creating new challenges for grid stability. Smart and bidirectional charging can help balance the system while offering value to EV owners. The International Energy Agency will outline the benefits, global progress and remaining barriers to vehicle to grid (V2G) technology deployment, followed by insights from the German National Centre for Charging Infrastructure on regulatory developments. A panel of industry experts will then discuss business models, pilot results, technology advances and the role of interoperability in scaling EV flexibility solutions.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Welcome & Introduction to the Session: Ready for Electrification

Monday, June 22, 2026, 03:45 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

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This session focuses on the key factors in accelerating the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into the power grid with the most benefits for consumers, grids and the environment. We will look at key elements of EV market integration, e.g. smart/bidirectional charging, policies to reduce current grid bottlenecks and necessary legislative reform across Europe.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
The Netherlands' Experience With Grid Bottlenecks and E-Mobility Deployment

Monday, June 22, 2026, 03:45 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

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This session focuses on the key factors in accelerating the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into the power grid with the most benefits for consumers, grids and the environment. We will look at key elements of EV market integration, e.g. smart/bidirectional charging, policies to reduce current grid bottlenecks and necessary legislative reform across Europe.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Welcome and Introduction to the Session: Electric Vehicle Grid Integration

Monday, June 22, 2026, 02:15 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

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As the number of electric fleets, depots and fast-charging hubs is rising across Europe, grid integration is becoming increasingly important. Large charging sites can either strain local feeders or become controllable and flexible loads that support grid stability if managed smartly.This session highlights the latest experiences from utility companies, network operators, fleet managers and technology providers who are turning e-mobility into an active part of the power system. We will explore how to align charging demand with grid capacity and market signals and also how we can successfully scale up e-mobility with increased demand-side flexibility. What are some best practices already in use? The panelists will also discuss the economic benefits for aggregators and end users as well as the organizational and regulatory conditions that are needed to transition from 'plugging in' to paying off through smart and bidirectional charging. The panel will highlight best practices for integrating demand-side flexibility into a resilient energy system.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Welcome & Introduction to the Session: Can We Trust AI to Run the Grid?

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 09:30 am

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

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Grid operators are no longer asking whether AI belongs in control rooms, but when they will be able to rely on it. AI tools for forecasting imbalances, detecting congestion, supporting dispatch decisions as well as enabling digital twins and edge intelligence are advancing rapidly. At the same time, European frameworks are evolving to support data-driven grid operation.But trust is not built on model accuracy alone - it requires real-world deployment, transparent validation and clear human oversight.During this 90-minute session, speakers will share concrete results from deployed systems. Find out where AI-assisted operation has delivered measurable improvements, what data infrastructure is genuinely needed and what regulatory conditions can help a tool move from the pilot phase to one that becomes part of daily operations.

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