The annual North West Future of Energy Conference, jointly hosted by Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and Letterkenny Chamber, returned to Derry this month. The conference was held in a hugely successful day at the Ebrington Hotel and focused on the theme of sustainable energy through innovation. Sponsored by SSE Renewables, the annual cross-border event brought together energy suppliers, technology providers, industry buyers, investors, and policymakers to share knowledge and showcase energy innovation.

At the conference, delegates heard from Derry Chamber President Greg McCann and Claire McDonough, President of the Letterkenny Chamber, who both highlighted the potential for collaboration between government, academia, and industry. It was emphasised how the North West region is uniquely positioned to harness this potential due to the presence of key institutions such as Atlantic Technological University, Ulster University, Foyle Port, in addition to the numerous operational and development wind farm projects across the region.

The conference also explored the economic opportunities tied to the energy transition and the role that energy infrastructure can play in fostering a cross-border shared future, along with underscoring the critical importance of advancing the green energy sector in the North West to bolster energy security, particularly given the geopolitical uncertainties of the 2020s.

The Chamber were delighted to have Economy Minister Conor Murphy MLA address conference delegates via a pre-recorded video, taking the opportunity to speak of the opportunity for innovation and partnership that decarbonisation and a transition to domestic renewables present for the North West, focusing particularly on biomethane and geothermal technologies.

The Minister spoke of his plans for the development of green skills, stressing the importance of the development of these skills for the delivery of the Derry City and Strabane Region City Deal. We at Derry Chamber are committed to assisting Minister Murphy in his economic plans for the North West and are eager to ensure that we achieve full delivery of the transformative City Region Deal.

The keynote address of the conference came from Mark Ennis, SSE Ireland Chairman, who highlighted the potential for the island of Ireland to be a renewable energy powerhouse, but stressed challenges posed by weak market support, a flawed planning process and an outdated grid.

Mark Ennis, Chairman, SSE Ireland, said:

“It was a pleasure to give the keynote address, and I was delighted that SSE Renewables was again able to sponsor this year’s conference. As we look to the future, climate action must be a top priority. Northern Ireland used to be a leader in this space, but process has stagnated. It is imperative now that we put the framework in place to accelerate investment in renewable energy. The draft Programme for Government made a strong start but must go further by setting out the required actions needed to tackle the climate crisis and realise Northern Ireland’s renewable energy potential.”

The conference featured engaging panel sessions that discussed energy efficiency, security of supply, and education and skills, with contributions from panel members Gerard Carlin of SONI; Peter Russell of the Utility Regulator; Aodhán McAteer of ESB; Francine Moran of North West Regional College; Gary Crowley, Vestas; and Colm Richardson of Donegal Education and Training Board, along with absorbing lightning talks delivered by Vestas, Firmus Energy, Plan Energy, and Foyle Port.

The conference also featured exhibitions from Air Cool Engineering NI, Barclays, Donnelly Group, Firmus Energy, Future Renewables, Go Succeed, H&A, Invest NI, Renewable NI, SSE Renewables, Translink, WD Ltd, ipower and Highland Radio who served as the official media partner of the day.

We are proud to have been able to come together with our partners in Letterkenny Chamber and our sponsors at SSE Renewables to deliver another successful Future of Energy Conference that once again brought together the key stakeholders that can transform the energy landscape of the North West.