Recording of Tuesday, May 06, 2025 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025 | Conference Program | Language: English | Duration: 41:00 .

Panel Highlights Urgent Need for Grid Investments and Digitalization to Address Energy Challenges in Spain and Portugal

The transcript covers a comprehensive discussion on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications across various sectors, highlighting both opportunities and challenges. AI advancements have significantly transformed industries like healthcare, finance, and transportation by enhancing efficiency, decision-making through data analysis, and fostering innovation. However, ethical concerns such as privacy issues in data collection and potential job displacement due to automation are also raised. The panel emphasizes balancing technological benefits with addressing societal impacts responsibly. Interdisciplinary collaboration among technologists, policymakers, ethicists is deemed crucial for aligning AI development with human values while serving public interests without exacerbating inequalities. Additionally discussed is the recent blackout in Spain and Portugal; Luis from an affected hedge fund attributes it not solely to renewables but systemic design flaws unable to handle new challenges effectively—highlighting factors like limited interconnection support during crises or outdated protection schemes unchanged for decades. Furthermore highlighted are digitalization efforts within energy grids focusing on substations' modernization amid regulatory hurdles particularly evident in Finland's valuation models affecting payback incentives alongside transitioning infrastructure towards underground cabling requiring technical expertise adjustments accordingly too! Overall discussions stress harmonizing European standards integrating technologies into flexibility markets despite complexities involving different manufacturers’ systems communicating together efficiently ultimately necessitating collaborative stakeholder engagement ensuring robust green energy system resilience avoiding recurring problems if misaligned objectives persist moving forward!

_{Automated summarization by AI Conver}

Talk of session: Developing the Future Distribution Grid

The global energy landscape is changing rapidly as demand for electricity increases and distributed generation becomes more widespread. In their efforts to modernize and expand an already aging power grid, utilities and grid operators face significant obstacles and challenges in maintaining system stability and resilience. In addition, shortages of skilled labor and materials are slowing infrastructure development. Addressing these issues requires technological innovation, policy reforms, and collaboration across the energy industry. The session will explore how to create a power system that is not only reliable and secure but also flexible enough to adapt the changing energy landscape.

Further Talks of this session:

Welcome and Introduction

Speaker

Carmen Gimeno
Secretary General
GEODE
Belgium

Recording of presentation not authorized for publication.

The Energy Transition - Challenges for Grid Operators

Speaker

Luís Vale Cunha
Chairman
ETIP SNET
Portugal

To Talk

Bringing Flexibility to the System - Local Flexibility Markets

Speaker

Rune Hogga
Head of Flexibility
A Energi
Norway

To Talk

Challenges and Strategies in Grid Development

Speaker

Harri Salomäki
Head of Asset Management and Partnerships
Elenia
Finland

To Talk

Grid Management Optimization - New Technology Solutions

Speaker

Mark Nigge-Uricher
Senior Business Developer
Alliander N.V.
The Netherlands

To Talk

Unlocking Flexibility - Bridging the Gap Between Flexibility Demand and Supply for Grid Stability

Speaker

Maddalena Pondini
Sustainability Advisory Expert
Siemens AG
Germany

Recording of presentation not authorized for publication.

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