The 3^rd European Renewable Energy Policy Conference will provide a major platform for interaction between the European Renewable Energy Industry and the newly elected European Parliament as well the new European Commission. The conference will debate the necessary steps to make the binding 20 % renewable energy target by 2020 become a reality and will highlight the leadership of the European renewable energy industry in the global arena.

The 3^rd European Renewable Energy Policy Conference is organized by EREC (European Renewable Energy Council) in co-operation with the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications.

This flagship policy conference will take place within the frame of the EU Swedish Presidency at an appropriate and strategic time:

After the election of the new members of the European Parliament and the Commission
At the time when Member States have to define their Renewable National Action Plan
Before the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15)

This means the 3^rd European Renewable Energy Policy Conference could have a huge influence on Members States and their decisions on which renewable energies to insert in their National Action Plans which have to be finalized by June 2010. This issue will also be reinforced during the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) which will take place in December 2009.

More than 800 participants from all over Europe are expected to this high-level platform for dialogue between the renewable energy industry and the political level. The conference will bring together ministers and high-level decision makers from all EU Member States, the European Commission and the European Parliament.

Program

Session 1: Sustainable Recovery and Job Creation: Renewable Energy as a Key Driver
Europe and the world at large are facing a financial and economic crisis. Even when taking into account the measures taken so far, millions of employees may well lose their job in the EU and around the globe in the near future. At the same time as this is happening, climate change is increasingly becoming a reality and the dramatic consequences are already visible today.
Investments in renewable energy technologies are the most sustainable way of tackling both the long-term impacts of climate change and the short-term impacts of the economic crisis. By investing in renewable energy technologies, a future-oriented sustainable economy can be
created and thousands of people already benefit from this achievement in terms of professional activity.
In this session, participants will focus on the enormous potential of renewable energy  technologies to create jobs, achieve a green recovery and explore ways to best turn this crisis into an opportunity, thus refocusing the economy, create sustainable growth, trigger a 21st century employment boom and, at the same time, combat climate change.

Session 2: Renewable Energy Policies for a Competitive Europe
In December 2008, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU agreed upon the climate and energy package containing the new European Directive on the promotion of renewable energy sources. This directive sets a binding EU target for the share of renewable energies of at least 20% by 2020, as well as national targets. Now that the Directive has come into force following its publication in the Official Journal of the EU in early June 2009, the EU as a whole has to pass the test as to whether its Member States succeed in tackling the challenges and meeting the objectives successfully.

This session will debate the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive and discuss in particular the National Renewable Energy Action Plans, which Member States need to submit to the European Commission by June 2010. Moreover, panelists will discuss related policy issues of utmost importance such as the recast of the Buildings Directive, grid infrastructure as well as
bioenergy sustainability.

Session 3: A Secure and Sustainable EU Energy Future: Funding Renewable Energy  Technologies
The renewable energy industry is one of the fastest growing industry sectors in Europe with two-digit growth rates in most sectors and enormous employment opportunities. This is due to two important facts: favourable legal frameworks and financial support for research and development. Both these factors have created a positive self-reinforcing cycle of innovation
and growth. This session will be centered on the issue of financial instruments for funding research and development. Panelists will elaborate upon relevant political issues and funding mechanisms such as the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), the Communication on financing of low-carbon technologies, the Emission Trading Scheme containing the New Entrants Reserve (NER300) as well as their expectations on the 8th Framework Programme for Research & Development (FP8).

Session 4: Saving the Climate: The Role of Renewable Energy
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges the world is facing today. The main accelerator of climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels. However, renewable energy sources provide one of the key solutions to climate change mitigation. By providing sustainable sources of electricity, heating and cooling as well as transport fuels, renewable energy options offer a major tool for the transition from an energy-wasting and fossil fuel based economy into an energy-efficient and renewable energy based economy.
In this panel discussion session, participants will give an insight into the up-coming negotiations of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December 2009, discuss the way ahead, as well as analyze how and to what extend renewable energy technologies can contribute to the
necessary adaption to climate change.

Session 5: A Global Perspective: Renewable Energy for all continents The European renewable energy industry is the leader on the international market. Over the past decade, the EU has provided research and development support to different renewable energy technologies, and has set up an important legislative framework for the promotion of these. However, more and more countries are catching up and getting involved in the development of renewable energy technologies, including emerging economies such as China and India.
This panel will offer a global perspective on the development of renewable energy technologies on all continents, and explore different success stories and best-practice examples of a diverse range of countries.

Session 6: Energizing the Euro-Mediterranean Region: The Mediterranean Solar Plan
The Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP) was announced on 13th July 2008 at the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean region. It was concluded that market deployment as well as research and development of renewable energy technologies are and should be a priority in terms of efforts
deployed towards assuring sustainable development. The objective of the MSP is to reach 20 GW of new renewable energy capacity by 2020. The panelists of this session will discuss the political, financial and industrial needs and how to best make the MSP a win-win situation for
everybody involved.

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