Amiens hosts energy autonomy congress

What is the Amiens Energy Summit?

The Amiens Energy Summit is a European-wide conference on the theme of energy autonomy. Amiens wants to bring together all those involved in the energy sector at a single event in the manner of the World Economic Forum to discuss the subject of “energy autonomous cities”. The first ever Amiens Energy Summit will take place on November 27-28, 2019 at the Quai de l’Innovation in Amiens (Hauts-de-France).

Who is the Summit aimed at?

SMEs, ETIs, large corporations, local authorities – all those involved in the energy sector are invited to join this inaugural Summit. Amiens hopes the Summit will encourage meetings and discussion between business leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs and institutions from all countries involved in energy transition, renewable energy, energy storage and intelligent management of energy.

Why choose Amiens for an event focused on energy autonomy?

Last May, Amiens City Council and Greater Amiens Council unanimously adopted measures aimed at making one of the major cities in Hauts-de-France an “energy autonomous city by 2050”. This is possible thanks to a well developed local ecosystem and the fact that the Energeia cluster, a collaborative platform in the field of energy autonomy, is based there along with the Amiens Energy Hub. This laboratory for important research and pre-industrial development is the headquarters of the RS2E (Electrochemical Energy Storage Network – CNRS) for the region and its founding member, the  LRCS (Laboratory of Reactivity and Chemistry of Solids – UPJV). This is where researchers design new types of batteries (sodium-ion, lithium-air, lithium-sulphur etc).

Will becoming energy autonomous by 2050 improve the appeal of Amiens?

Amiens has set itself the challenge of reducing energy consumption by 60% by 2050 and supplying all remaining energy needs using renewable energy (thermal, photovoltaic, wind power, hydraulic etc) and recycled energy (recycling of heat produced during industrial processes, via the incineration of waste or released by data centres for example). Energy transition is the climate challenge of the century. Amiens is the first city of this size (nearly 200,000 inhabitants) to attempt this feat and it is aiming to become a European model for energy autonomy. This important scientific challenge should help attract specialist skills, encourage innovation and so add value, as well as many new jobs to the region, helping to make the Hauts-de-France region even more attractive internationally.

Energy, a growth sector in Hauts-de-France

As part of the strategy for the Third Industrial Revolution, led by Mission Rev3 in the Hauts-de-France region, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, ADEME, estimates that 46,600 jobs could be created by 2050. These would be in the growth sectors of renewable energy, building and transport including up to 7,000 jobs in energy and hydrogen storage. To sign up for the Summit:  https://amiensenergysummit.fr/