EBC meeting at the IEA Ministerial – 18 October 2011
The Energy Business Council (EBC) meeting under the theme “Co-operating to secure a better energy future” was held on 18 October 2011 as an opening session of the IEA Ministerial meeting. It gathered ministers from 28 IEA member countries and from partner countries – Brazil, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, and the Republic of South Africa – together with around 35 chief executives and other top executives from energy producing and consuming companies.
The session was chaired by the Hon. Martin Ferguson, Minister of Energy, Resources and Tourism of Australia in his capacity of the Chair of the 2011 Ministerial Meeting, with participation of Ms. Maria van der Hoeven, IEA Executive Director and Dr. Fatih Birol, IEA Chief Economist.
The “under embargo” presentation from Dr. Birol on key findings of the forthcoming World Energy Outlook 2011 was followed by an interactive debate on topical energy sector issues, such as the likelihood of a golden age of gas, investment in electricity generation and distribution in the context of the financial crisis, the role of nuclear power for future energy trends and co-operation between the governments and private sector with the objective of achieving energy access for all. The session, moderated by a professional journalist, saw keynote speeches from (in order of appearance):
- Mr Paolo Scaroni, chief executive officer of Eni,
- Mr Waldemar Pawlak, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy,
- Mrs. Doris Leuthard, Federal Councillor, head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications DETEC, Switzerland,
- Mr Angel Gurria, the Secretary General of the OECD,
- Mr Gregory H. Boyce, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Peabody Energy,
- Mr. Yukio Edano, Japan’s Minister of Economy Trade and Industry,
- Mr Ditlev Engel, Chief Executive Officer, Vestas Wind Systems,
- H.E. Mr. Taner Yildiz Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
The list of industry participants included high-level executives from the following companies:
Acciona Energia, Alstom Group, BP p.l.c., Edison, Enel, Eni, Fortum Corporation, Gazprom, GDF SUEZ, Iberdrola Engineering, Lafarge, Lotos Group, Michelin, Mitsubishi Corporation, Nippon Steel, Novozymes, Peabody Energy, Petrobras, Posco, Renault, Repsol YPF, Royal Dutch Shell p.l.c., RWE Group, Schlumberger, Sharp Corporation, Siemens Energy, Suncor Energy, Statoil, Toyota Motor Corporation, Vestas Wind Systems, Westinghouse Electric, Department of Natural Resources of Alaska
The discussions continued during a working lunch, which included special addresses by:
- Mr. Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Management Committee, Gazprom, and Director General, Gazprom Export and
- Mr. Jose Gabrielli, Chief Executive Officer of Petrobras.
The EBC session at the IEA Ministerial meeting was followed by a press conference with participation of Dr. Fatih Birol, IEA Chief Economist, Mr. Jose Gabrielli, Chief Executive Officer of Petrobras and Mr Fulvio Conti, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Enel. During the press conference they discussed, in particular, the USD38 trillion estimated investment figure that needs to be implemented in order to meet projected global energy demand by 2035.
