FIAA is proud to have completed a very successful second edition of its flagship energy conference, which this year was again organized in collaboration with the Ministry for Energy and Infrastructure and focused on the topic Energy Transition Toward the Green Agenda.
Two hundred participants attended the event which gathered experts from many European countries to discuss on relevant energy issues related to Albania and the Western Balkans in general.
The rich content which was organized in five sessions, addressed perspectives from policy makers on transition and energy security in Albania and the Western Balkans, the power sector and investments, market coupling and connectivity, the climate for potential Investments and the financing of energy projects. A special session was dedicated to the presentation of interest from Spanish and UK companies to the Albanian energy sector.
The presence of high experts from several international institutions such as the Energy Secretariat, the European Commission, EBRD, IFC, USAID, regional institutions such as OSSHE, the Transmission System Operator of Albania, ALPEX, KOSTT and the private sector, among others Verbund, Statkraft, Voltalia, TotalEnergies, Vega Group enabled a high-quality exchange of experiences and knowledge that was highly appreciated by the audience.
Dirk Buschle, Deputy Director of the Energy Secretariat gave the senior expert’ tone to the conference already at its start, by emphasizing how well Albania is performing and how it has become a great example to follow by all countries in the region in terms of renewable energy. In general, there was a consistent emphasis of the fact that this is the right moment to invest in the growing renewable energy field in Albania and in order for the progress to be consolidated, state institutions would need to simplify the regulatory and tariff framework, the transition of pre-existing plants and sites, and the identification of new sites where plants can be developed.
Minister Belinda Balluku addressed the conference and presented some highlights from the successes of the past years in the renewable energy field, especially in the photovoltaic and wind energy, and praised the work that FIAA is doing to foster the further development of this sector. Minister Balluku emphasized the need to focus now on how to stimulate the rise of energy storage, the energy transmission between the countries in the region and mentioned the idea of the Corridor VIII in the energy sector.
The Chairman of the FIAA Energy Council, Constantin von Alvensleben and FIAA Executive Director, Marinela Jazoj thanked all partners of the conference, the speakers, the moderators and the sponsors @Verbund, @VegaGroup, @Statkraft, @Voltalia, @SchneiderElectric, @TotalEnergies who created the right synergies to highlight Albania’s rising importance in the region by supporting the organization of this conference.
