Energy Ireland 2025 Conference Programme

Focusing on implementation and delivery

Day 1 Wednesday 11th June 2025

08.15 REGISTRATION AND MORNING COFFEE

09.00 Chair's welcome and introduction:
  • J Owen Lewis, Chair
    IIEA Working Group on Climate and Energy


09.05 IRELAND’S ENERGY FUTURE
  • MINISTERIAL ADDRESS: Ireland’s energy policy priorities
    Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy
  • MINISTERIAL ADDRESS: The path to net zero energy
    Caoimhe Archibald MLA, Minister for the Economy Northern Ireland
  • A regulatory framework for a secure, decarbonised energy system
    Tanya Harrington, Commissioner
    Commission for Regulation of Utilities
  • A cleaner energy future: the transition to a low carbon grid
    Cathal Marley, Chief Executive
    EirGrid
  • Creating a cleaner energy future for Ireland
    Declan Meally, Director of Business, Public Sector and Transport
    Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
  • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

11.00 COFFEE/ EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

    11.30 IRELAND’S ENERGY TRANSITION IN A FRACTURED WORLD
    • The return of Trump: Implications for EU climate and energy policy
      Cecilia Trasi, Research Analyst
      Bruegel
    • Redefining energy security in the age of electricity
      Cillian O'Donoghue, Policy Director
      Eurelectric

    PANEL DISCUSSION: IRELAND’S ENERGY TRANSITION IN A FRACTURED WORLD
    • Edwina Nyhan, Director of Strategy and Regulation, Gas Networks Ireland
    • Stephen Gallagher, Managing Director, SSE Airtricity
    • Denis O’Sullivan, Assets Director, Bord Gáis Energy
    • Cecilia Trasi, Research Analyst, Bruegel
    • Cillian O'Donoghue, Policy Director, Eurelectric

    13:00 LUNCH AND EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

    14:00 MEETING THE CHALLENGES IN DELIVERING THE ENERGY TRANSITION
    • CHAIR:
      Úna Nic Giolla Choille
    • Regulatory challenges in delivering the energy transition
      John French, Chief Executive
      Utility Regulator
    • Legal aspects of implementing regulation and project delivery
      Niamh McGovern, Partner
      Arthur Cox
    • Financing Ireland’s energy transition
      Linda Clake, Director, Corporate Finance
      Goodbody
    • Meeting the challenges in delivering Ireland’s energy transition
      Colm O’Neill, Partner
      KPMG
    • Meeting the challenges of moving to our zero e-mission future
      Dara Lynott, CEO
      Electricity Association of Ireland
    • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

      14:00 DEVELOPING IRELAND’S OFFSHORE ENERGY RESOURCES
      • CHAIR:
        Neil Walker, Director
        Walker Energy Consulting
      • A regulatory framework for developing Ireland’s offshore energy resources
        Laura Brien, CEO
        Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA)
      • Regulatory framework for offshore wind development
        Richard Murphy, Partner
        Pinsent Masons
      • Environmental considerations in offshore wind licensing
        Caroline Roche, Offshore Environment & Consents Manager
        Energia
      • Offshore renewable energy: emerging technologies
        Aisling Greene, Head of Offshore Environment and Future Development
        Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
      • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

      16.30 ENERGY IRELAND DRINKS RECEPTION

      Day 2: Thursday 12th June 2025

      08.30 REGISTRATION AND MORNING COFFEE

        09.00 Séischomhrá

        • Paddy Hayes, Chief Executive
          ESB

        • In dialogue with


        • Jude Webber, Ireland Correspondent
          Financial Times
        09:30 ELECTRICITY NETWORK AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT
        • CHAIR:
          Stacy Feldmann, Senior Regulatory Manager
          SSE

        • Electricity market design: 24/7 PPAs and implications of REMA for Irish market
          Andy Kelly, Director
          AFRY
        • Price Review 6 for electricity networks
          Fergal Mulligan, Commissioner
          Commission for Regulation for Utilities
        • Long duration storage and the energy transition
          Paddy Larkin, Chief Executive Officer
          Mutual Energy
        • Solar energy development in Ireland: opportunities and challenges
          Eva Barrett, Director of Policy and Regulation
          Irish Solar Energy Association
        • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

        09:30 GAS MARKET AND NETWORK
        • CHAIR:
          Úna Nic Giolla Choille

        • Biomethane: Towards a carbon-neutral gas network
          Karen Doyle, Head of Business Development
          Gas Networks Ireland
        • Unlocking European biogas and biomethane
          Marzia Sesini, Research Team Leader
          Florence School of Regulation
        • The role of green hydrogen in Ireland’s future energy mix
          Aodhan McAleer, Hydrogen and Gas Storage Manager
          ESB
        • Turning waste into renewable natural gas
          James Manley, Country Manager Ireland
          Cycle0
        • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

        11.00 COFFEE/ EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

        11:30 ELECTRICITY NETWORK AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT
        • CHAIR:
          Stacy Feldmann, Senior Regulatory Manager
          SSE

        • Future grid: looking beyond the 2030 network plan
          David Noronha, Head of Future Networks and Strategic Offshore Planning
          EirGrid
        • The critical role of the active customer in driving the energy transition
          David Cashman, Business Consulting Director
          EY Ireland
        • Battery energy storage systems
          David Minnis, ESS Solution Director
          Huawei Europe
        • Electricity interconnection: supporting the development of renewable sources
          Simon Ludlam, Chief Executive Officer
          MaresConnect Interconnector
        • Small can be beautiful: small modular nuclear reactors
          Tony Roulstone, Department of Engineering
          University of Cambridge
        • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

        11:30 SUSTAINABLE HEAT AND HEAT NETWORKS
        • CHAIR:
          Pauline O’Reilly, CEO
          Irish District Energy Association

        • Decarbonising Ireland’s heat demand
          Brian Carroll, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency Built Environment, Retrofit and Heat Policy
          Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
        • Accelerating the deployment of thermal energy storage to support the grid
          John O’Shea, Heat & Electricity Lead
          Codema
        • The role of cogeneration in delivering sustainable heat
          Alexandra Tudoroiu-Lakavičė, Head of Policy
          The European Association for the Promotion of Cogeneration
        • Decarbonising the residential heating sector
          Philip Hannon, Chief Executive
          Alliance for Zero Carbon Heating
        • Implementing a geothermal energy project
          Sara Lynch, Head of Sustainability
          Queen’s University Belfast
        • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

        13.00 LUNCH AND EXHIBITION NETWORKING BREAK

        • 14.00 THE AI REVOLUTION AND THE ENERGY SECTOR
          • CHAIR:
            Claire O’Sullivan, Data Centre Operations Cluster Leader
            Amazon Web Services
          • AI as a tool for the energy sector
            Craig O’Mahony, Energy & Utilities Lead, Ireland
            Amazon Web Services
          • Ireland’s energy demand and data centres
            Paul Deane, Energy Researcher
            University College Cork

          PANEL DISCUSSION: AI AND THE ENERGY SECTOR
          • Paul Deane, Energy Researcher, University College Cork
          • Michael McCarthy, Director, Cloud Infrastructure Ireland
          • Craig O’Mahony, Energy & Utilities Lead, Ireland, Amazon Web Services
          • Question & answer session / Panel discussion

        16.00 Conference close