Hybrid Event: The potential of Osmotic Energy to produce clean permanent electricity and green hydrogen – Accelerating the European Union’s energy transition

Tuesday 5 July 2022, 13:00 – 14:30 CEST

Hybrid event organized at the European Parliament, Strasbourg:

Room N2.1 / Webex Events

Co-hosted by MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho

& MEP Christophe Grudler

EVENT REGISTRATION:

• If you would like to physically attend the meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, please fill in the Physical Attendance Registration Form

• If you would like to join the event online, please fill in the Online Attendance Registration Form

The current crisis in Ukraine has reinforced the need for the European Union to increase its energy independence, in particular by accelerating the use of renewable energies. This desire is also reflected in the current revision of the directive on the promotion of the use of energy produced from renewable sources (RED II), the main objective of which is to increase to 40% the share of energy produced from renewable sources in the gross final energy consumption of the EU in 2030.

Osmotic energy, generated by the difference in salinity of fresh water from rivers and salt water from the sea when the two meet, is an available and deployable medium for achieving the ambitions of the EU under its Green Deal.

Still largely unknown to public authorities, this renewable, permanent, low-carbon and modular energy source nevertheless offers massive potential for the production of electricity and green hydrogen, at a very competitive production cost compared to the various electricity production technologies.

The latest technological advances in this field have recently made it possible to fully exploit osmotic energy, with a performance 25 times higher and a cost 10 times cheaper than previous technologies. In a world in transition, marked by rising demand for electricity generation and rising energy prices, it is essential that European policy makers seize the opportunity presented by osmotic energy by supporting its development, both in legislations and in European research programmes.

The objective of this conference is to bring together European policymakers with stakeholders and researchers in the osmotic energy sector to present this disruptive technology and the opportunities it offers to ensure the energy transition promoted by the European Green Deal.

FINAL AGENDA

13:00-13:10:         Welcome remarks by MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho and MEP Christophe Grudler

13:10-13:20:         Introductory speech by Carlos Morais Pires, Cabinet Member of European Commissioner for Innovation and Research

13:20-13:30:         Presentation by Nicolas Heuzé, Co-founder & CEO, Sweetch Energy

13:30-13:40:         Presentation by Alessandro Siria, Researcher at France’s national scientific research centre (CNRS)

13:40-13:50:         Presentation by Frédéric Storck, Director of Energy transition and innovation at Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR)

13:50-13:55:         Reaction by Dr. Frank Neumann, Director, Institute for Infrastructure, Environment and Innovation (IMIEU)

13:55-14:00:         Reaction by Vincent Berrutto, Head of B5 Unit on “Innovation, research, competitiveness, and digitalization”, DG ENER, European Commission

14:00-14:25:         Q&A session with the audience, including reactions from additional MEPs

14:25-14:30:         Closing remarks by MEP Christophe Grudler

* Lunch will be provided during the meeting *