Eurogas Annual Regional Conference ‘Focus on Portugal: The Energy Transition & The Role of Renewable Gases’

The Eurogas Annual Regional Conference ‘Focus on Portugal: The Energy Transition & The Role of Renewable Gases‘ took place on 28 November 2023 in Lisbon and online.

After last year’s successful edition, with 150+ energy professionals joining from all over Europe, this year the event shed a light on the state of play of the Portuguese gas market.
In the context of REPowerEU, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the proposal for a Regulation on methane emissions reduction, we discussed how the region is delivering the objectives of carbon neutrality through the use of renewable and low-carbon gases, the commitment towards methane emissions reduction and the crucial role of energy grids.

The conference (in English only) was organised with the kind support of Floene.

Partners

Programme
14:30 - 14:45

Opening speeches

Speakers

Gabriel Sousa

CEO, Floene
Biography
Gabriel Sousa
CEO, Floene

Gabriel Sousa is Chief Executive Officer of FLOENE ENERGIAS, S.A. since November 2016 and Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the 9 Subsidiary Distribution Companies.
With more than 25 years of experience in the natural gas sector, began his activity as Head of Commercial Development of Lusitaniagás with the first steps of the natural gas project in Portugal, being appointed later as CEO in different Gas Distribution Companies.
Before entering the natural gas sector, worked in the automotive and metallurgical industries as Commercial Manager and Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Manager.
Holds a Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Coimbra and an Executive MBA from AESE/IESE.
Board Member of the following European Associations – EUROGÁS and GD4S – Gas Distributors for Sustainability; Board Member of APEG – Portuguese Association of Natural Gas Companies and Member of the Distribution Committee of IGU – International Gas Union.

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Didier Holleaux

Didier Holleaux

President, Eurogas
Biography
Didier Holleaux
President, Eurogas

After graduating as an Engineer (Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale des Mines de Paris), Didier HOLLEAUX started to work as an Engineer in the car-manufacturing and in the oil industry. He then made a career in the French Civil Service which led him to the position of head of the departmental staff (“Directeur de Cabinet”) of the Energy Minister (1992-1993).

Didier HOLLEAUX joined Gaz de France (merged in GDF SUEZ in 2008 and renamed as ENGIE in 2015), in 1993. Since then, he held different managing positions in the transmission, distribution, and LNG businesses of the company. He also founded and managed the North Sea Exploration and Production (1997-2000) and managed the worldwide Exploration and Production of the group (2007-2015). Since 1st of July 2015, he is Executive Vice President of ENGIE. He is currently in charge of special projects particularly in the field of renewable gases and external representation.

Didier HOLLEAUX has been elected President of Eurogas in June 2021.

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14:45 - 15:00

Keynote speech

Speakers

MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho

Member of the ITRE Committee, European Parliament
Biography
MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho
Member of the ITRE Committee, European Parliament

Maria da Graça Carvalho is currently a member of the European Parliament. She is vice-chair of the Fisheries Committee (PECH), a full Member of Industry, Research and Energy committee (ITRE) and a substitute member of Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and Women’s Rights (FEMM) committees. She was a senior advisor to Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, from November 2014 to December 2015. Previously, she was a member of the European Parliament between July 2009 and May 2014. In that capacity, she was one of the rapporteurs of Horizon 2020. She was also Principal Adviser to President Barroso in the fields of Science, Higher Education, Innovation, Research Policy, Energy, Environment and Climate Change from 2006 to 2009. She served as a Minister of Science and Higher Education of the XV Constitutional Government of Portugal and Minister of Science, Innovation and Higher Education of the XVI Constitutional Government. She is a Full Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico (University of Lisbon).

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15:00 - 15:30

Panel 1 – The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the role of energy grids

Speakers

Federica Sabbati

Secretary General, European Heating Industry
Biography
Federica Sabbati
Secretary General, European Heating Industry

Federica Sabbati is Secretary General of the European Heating Industry, which brings together companies that are leaders in the production of efficient heating systems. EHI members cover 90% of the European market for all heating solutions from heat pumps to hybrids, from green gas boilers to solar thermal systems, from mCHP (micro combined heat and power) to fuel cells, from radiators to underfloor heating. Since 2020 Federica is also Facilitator of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance’s Buildings Round Table.

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Nuno Moreira

CEO, Dourogás
Biography
Nuno Moreira
CEO, Dourogás

Nuno Afonso Moreira is PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management and as a BSc in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently CEO of Dourogás, one of the most innovative and important companies in the Portuguese sector of renewable gases, including biomethane and hydrogen, and natural gas, Coordinator of the Energy Commission of the Order of Engineers, and President of the Energy Counsil of CIP – Confederation of Portuguese Business.

Among others, Afonso Moreira also stands as Chairman of SG Natural Gas-Industrial Utilization Committee in IGU- International Gas Union; Vice President of Colab Bioref – Collaborative Laboratory for Biorefineries; Board member and Portugal representant of Gasnam- Iberian Association for the use of natural gas, hydrogen and renewable gas in mobility.

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Rita Pinho Rodrigues

Director for Corporate Affairs and Board Member, DECO PROteste
Biography
Rita Pinho Rodrigues
Director for Corporate Affairs and Board Member, DECO PROteste

Rita Pinho Rodrigues is a Board Member and Head of Public Affairs & Media Relations at DECOPROTESTE. She has a law degree from Lusíada University and has been working for consumer protection since 1999.

With over 300,000 DECO PROTESTE members today, Rita has a challenging and wide-ranging job at the head of an organization that is over 40 years old, dealing daily with communication actions and consumer campaigns, studies, technical and legal advice. Rita and her team work to provide the best information to consumers and demand their rights in Portugal and in international consumer organizations.

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Paulo do Nascimento Cabral

Adviser Azores and Energy, Permanent Representation of Portugal to the European Institutions
Biography
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Adviser Azores and Energy, Permanent Representation of Portugal to the European Institutions

Advisor for Azores and Energy in the Permanent Representation of Portugal to the European Institutions.
Chief of Staff of the President of the Regional Government of Azores
Chief of staff in the European Parliament,
Accredited Parliamentary Assistant, local Assistant in the EP between 2009-2019.
Master in EU Projects Design and Management 2021-2027
MBA and master in Coaching Psychology.

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15:30 - 16:00

Panel 2 – A transition to renewable and low-carbon gases in the EU and the region

Speakers

Kamila Waciega

Energy Director, Hydrogen Europe
Biography
Kamila Waciega
Energy Director, Hydrogen Europe

Kamila Waciega is Director for Energy & Infrastructure Policy at Hydrogen Europe. Previously she was in charge of access to public funds and energy and climate policy for Dalkia Central Europe Department between 2010 and 2014. Before joining Hydrogen Europa Kamila was part of Veolia’s Public Affairs Department, where she acted as Director in charge of energy and climate issues. She graduated from Sciences Po Paris and London School of Economics and holds a PhD in Political Sciences, applied to decarbonisation policies in European regions.

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Rui Costa Neto

Doctorate Researcher, IN+/IST & Professor, ULHT/ISEL
Biography
Rui Costa Neto
Doctorate Researcher, IN+/IST & Professor, ULHT/ISEL

Rui Costa Neto is an academic/engineer with more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry and academia. He has a PhD in Chemical Engineering and a Post-Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering (Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Técnico de Lisboa, IST). Currently Rui Costa Neto is a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of Universidade Lusófona (ULHT). Researcher at IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research, Técnico Lisboa. Senior expert in hydrogen and fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries and safety expert. Consultant on energy storage systems (Batteries, Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Ultracapacitors and, Phase Change Materials).

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Luis Monteiro

Home Comfort, Product Area Combustion, Bosch Termotecnologia

Nuno Fitas Mendes

CEO, REN Portgás
Biography
Nuno Fitas Mendes
CEO, REN Portgás

Nuno Fitas Mendes is the CEO of REN Portgás, the leading investment DSO in Portugal with more than 400th clients. REN Portgás is a subsidiary of REN Group, which holds the Portuguese Electricity and Gas TSO.

During his career Nuno worked both in financial and operational areas being responsible for the planning and management control, marketing, regulation, internal control and sustainability areas of a holding company and its subsidiaries within the gas business of EDP and REN Group (Sourcing, Transport, Distribution and Commercialization in Portugal and Spain for Natural Gas and LPG). Prior to this experience, Nuno worked in the electricity sector with responsibilities ranging from logistics, budgeting controlling and IT consulting.

Nuno holds a Master in Business Administration – MBA from Porto Business School (Oporto) and a M.Sc. in Electrotechnical and Computer Engineering from FEUP — University of Porto. He also holds an Advanced Management Program – AMP from AESE (Lisbon) and an AMP from Católica University (Lisbon) and Northwestern Kellogg University (Chicago).

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Bernd Kuepker

Policy Officer, Unit ‘Decarbonisation and Sustainability of Energy Sources’, European Commission
Biography
Bernd Kuepker
Policy Officer, Unit ‘Decarbonisation and Sustainability of Energy Sources’, European Commission

Working on energy topics in the Commission since 2012, Bernd Kuepker works since 2021 in the Unit “Decarbonisation and Sustainability of Energy Sources” of DG Energy with a focus on the promotion of renewable and low carbon fuels in the transport sector including hydrogen and hydrogen-based synthetic fuels. In this context he is also dealing with the sustainability aspects of hydrogen production such as additionality and the methodology to determine greenhouse gas emissions savings of such fuels.

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16:00 - 16:30

Closing Keynote

Speakers

Jerónimo Cunha

Director of the Directorate General for Energy and Geology

Additional information

The conference was moderated by Rosália Amorim, journalist