Techies Go Green, the business sustainability network, today announces that Mike Berners-Lee will deliver the keynote address at its Smarter Energy Challenge conference in Dublin on 14th October. He will be joined by Duncan Stewart and leading energy experts for a full-day programme on how the rapid transformation of the energy system will directly impact business costs, operations, investment decisions and competitiveness.
Berners-Lee, author of There Is No Planet B, is one of Europe’s leading thinkers on the practical implications of climate change and sustainability for organisations and public policy.
The conference, which will be held in the Guinness Enterprise Centre, Dublin 8, comes as new research by Censuswide1, on behalf of Techies Go Green, reveals a significant gap between planned energy action and leaders’ understanding of future needs. While 95% of leaders plan to introduce at least one energy measure over the next three years, only 20% say they have a detailed understanding of how their organisation’s energy needs are likely to change.
The research suggests that uncertainty around the financial case remains a key barrier to action. Just one in four leaders (25%) has detailed visibility of how much greater energy efficiency could save their organisation, while 36% of leaders say clearer evidence of cost savings and financial return would give them greater confidence to invest. The conference aims to address this gap, helping business leaders understand future energy requirements, evaluate investment opportunities and build a stronger business case for action.
Business leaders are also looking for greater policy support. Just 37% are satisfied with the level of Government support available today, while almost one-third (32%) say additional funding or grants would increase their confidence to invest in energy-related investment. The findings come as the Government’s Cost of Business Advisory Forum2 has identified energy as the biggest driver of business costs.
The conference also takes place as Ireland’s electricity system undergoes major expansion, with an €18.9 billion investment package in place for the grid through to 2030. Sessions will examine the practical implications of that shift, including how organisations can plan for future energy needs, assess new technologies and finance energy investment.
The programme will open with an address from Fergus Sharkey, Head of Business Supports at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), before Mike Berners-Lee delivers the keynote. Berners-Lee will later join TV producer and environmentalist Duncan Stewart and Lucila Dotto, Global Head of Sustainability at the Project Management Institute, for a panel discussion on the pace of business climate action.
Prof Aoife Foley, Chair in Net Zero Infrastructure at the University of Manchester, will also examine Ireland’s move towards 80% renewable electricity. The wider programme will explore grid readiness, energy finance and the practical implications of the clean energy transition for organisations.
Mike Berners-Lee, researcher and author, said: “When a business spends money on fossil fuels, that money is gone forever, the fuel is burned and nothing of lasting value remains. Investing in renewable energy is fundamentally different. You are building productive assets that can generate clean, lower-cost energy and continue delivering value to the business for many years.”
Duncan Stewart, TV producer and environmentalist, said: “Energy decisions being made today will shape how organisations operate for years to come. Ireland’s electricity system is changing rapidly, new technologies are becoming available and businesses need to understand how those changes could affect them before committing to major investments.”
Michael O’Hara, Co-Founder of Techies Go Green, said: “Many business leaders understand that energy will become an increasingly important strategic issue, but they are often unsure where to begin. Greater clarity around costs, likely returns and what is already working in practice can help organisations make better long-term decisions. By bringing together expertise from across energy, technology and finance, we hope to give businesses the confidence to take the next step.”
The conference forms part of Techies Go Green’s wider Smarter Energy Challenge, a business-focused programme combining online briefings with case study visits to organisations already using cleaner and smarter energy systems. Registration for the conference also provides access to four additional educational webinars and four case study site tours.