Eurogas Events
04.11.2024
14:00 - 17:15GMT+1

Eurogas Tech Conference ‘Decarbonisation in action: The potential of bioenergy and hydrogen for CCS’

*IN-PERSON ONLY EVENT*

Mark your calendars for a new edition of the Eurogas Tech Conference 'Decarbonisation in action: The potential of bioenergy and hydrogen for CCS', taking place on 4 November 2024 (14:00 – 17:15) in Brussels (Stanhope Hotel, Rue du Commerce 9). The conference will be followed by networking drinks on the premises.

Held for the first time in-person only, the conference will discuss the EU leadership in BECCS and CCS/CCUS in the context of the EU climate target for 2040 initiative.

The conference is moderated by Sonja van Renssen, Chief Strategy Officer, Carbon Pulse.

The conference is supported by

Stanhope Hotel (Rue du Commerce 9, 1000 Brussels)
Programme

Register

Eurogas Tech Conference

Register here to participate to the conference only, barbecue only or both conference and barbecue. Registration is free of charge but mandatory. Please note that, upon registration, participation is subject to confirmation, and stakeholders whose registrations are confirmed will receive an email shortly.

"*" indicates required fields

Registration is free of charge but mandatory.
Due to limited capacity, participation is subject to confirmation. Only registrants who receive an official confirmation email will be admitted to the event.
Please check if all your details are correct before submitting your registration, as your full name and organisation will appear on your badge.
No personal email address accepted
Consent*
We need to collect a certain amount of information about you so that we can process your registration. By agreeing to the Eurogas Terms of Use and Privacy Policy you consent to receive communications from Eurogas. You can unsubscribe from our mailings by clicking on the unsubscribe button at the end of them. Alternatively, if you wish to update your information or remove yourself from any of the Eurogas mailing lists, please contact us at events@eurogas.org.
Hidden
Consent

Partners

Programme
14:00 - 14:05

Welcome speech

Speakers

Cristian Signoretto

Cristian Signoretto

President, Eurogas
Biography
Cristian Signoretto
President, Eurogas

He was appointed Deputy of Chief Operating Officer Natural Resources and also Director Global Gas & Lng Portfolio of Eni on July 1, 2020.

After graduating in Mechanical Engineering in 1999 from the Politecnico di Milano, he did his military service as lieutenant officer in the Italian Army.

In 2000, he was awarded a scholarship for a research doctorate at the Politecnico di Milano’s Department of Energy, where he was involved in research projects and teaching activities.

In 2001 he joined McKinsey.

He graduated with a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia University in New York in 2005.

After a brief stint at Citigroup in New York, he continued his career in McKinsey, mainly working on projects in the Oil & Gas and Banking & Insurance sectors.

He joined Eni in late 2007, in the Office of the CEO supporting the Top Management in defining corporate strategies and overseeing specific projects at group level.

Between 2008 and 2016, he worked in Eni’s Gas & Power business, first as Senior Vice President International Sales and later as Executive Vice President International Markets and LNG.

In November 2016, he took the position of Executive Vice President Portfolio Strategy & Long Term Gas Negotiations in the Midstream business with responsibility for managing the supply portfolio and long-term relationships with gas suppliers. In February 2018, he became Executive Vice President of the Gas Business Unit with responsibility for the entire midstream gas value chain, including marketing and trading activities.

In April 2019, he was appointed Chief Gas & Lng Marketing and Power Officer of Eni.

He is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eni Global Energy Markets S.p.A. (the wholly owned subsidiary of Eni responsible for all gas, LNG, power and CO2 trading and origination activities).

He’s a member of the Board of Directors for BlueStream.

He is President of Proxigas, the National Association of Gas Industries, and a member of the General Council of Confindustria (the federation of Italian industries).

He is President of Eurogas, the trade association for gaseous energies in Europe, as well as member of the Executive Committee of GIIGNL, the International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers.

Close

14:05 - 14:15

Keynote speech

Speakers

Jeroen Schuppers

Jeroen Schuppers

Senior expert clean energy transition, Clean Planet Directorate, DG Research, European Commission
Biography
Jeroen Schuppers
Senior expert clean energy transition, Clean Planet Directorate, DG Research, European Commission

Jeroen Schuppers is Senior Expert in the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation within the European Commission. His unit supports research and innovation on all aspects of the clean energy transition.

Jeroen Schuppers holds a degree in geology from Utrecht University and a PhD from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Before joining the European Commission in 2002, he held positions in the Geological Survey of the Netherlands and in the TNO Institute of Applied Geoscience.

Close

14:15 - 14:25

Presentation | BECCS – potentials and barriers

Speakers

Harald Hecking

Harald Hecking

Head of Innovation / New Business Development, Uniper
Biography
Harald Hecking
Head of Innovation / New Business Development, Uniper

Harald is the Head of Innovation at Uniper, leading new business development in Green Molecules and Carbon Management. With extensive expertise in start-up M&A, project development, and regulations surrounding CCUS, Bioenergy, and Power-to-X, he has successfully initiated and advanced numerous energy transition projects, from pilot to industry scale. Prior to joining Uniper, Harald advised the German and UK governments, as well as the private sector, on energy transition strategies. He has also worked twice with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and contributed as a reviewer for the World Energy Outlook. Harald holds a PhD in Energy Economics, along with diplomas in Economics and Geoinformation Sciences.

Close

14:25 - 15:15

Panel 1 and Q&A – European Leadership in Gas Tech – What potential for BECCS?

Speakers

Harald Hecking

Harald Hecking

Head of Innovation / New Business Development, Uniper
Biography
Harald Hecking
Head of Innovation / New Business Development, Uniper

Harald is the Head of Innovation at Uniper, leading new business development in Green Molecules and Carbon Management. With extensive expertise in start-up M&A, project development, and regulations surrounding CCUS, Bioenergy, and Power-to-X, he has successfully initiated and advanced numerous energy transition projects, from pilot to industry scale. Prior to joining Uniper, Harald advised the German and UK governments, as well as the private sector, on energy transition strategies. He has also worked twice with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and contributed as a reviewer for the World Energy Outlook. Harald holds a PhD in Energy Economics, along with diplomas in Economics and Geoinformation Sciences.

Close

Eadbhard Pernot

Eadbhard Pernot

Secretary General, Zero Emissions Platform
Biography
Eadbhard Pernot
Secretary General, Zero Emissions Platform

Eadbhard leads the secretariat of the Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP), the trusted advisor to the European Union on industrial carbon management, which seeks to accelerate its deployment in line with Europe’s climate ambition. Eadbhard has a background on capture policy in Europe, previously leading policy work at the environmental NGO, Clean Air Task Force, where his work on climate action and carbon capture and storage has established him as a notable advocate for industrial carbon management as a climate solution.

Close

Adam Grachek

Adam Grachek

Project Manager, Biorecro
Biography
Adam Grachek
Project Manager, Biorecro

Adam is a carbon removal specialist in the Carbon Removal industry and BECCS Project Manager at Biorecro, where he alongside the CEO, leads on both topco & project financing investment strategy, develops & leads on BECCS projects, and manages day-to-day operations within the company.

During his tenure at Biorecro, he has delivered on multiple projects in BECCS and CCS strategy and initiation to both multibillion-dollar international partners and smaller Swedish partners; developed CDR market analyses for EU Horizon 2020 & Swedish Innovation projects; and led 10+ applications for multimillion dollar carbon removal procurement cycles.

Close

Caroline Braun

Caroline Braun

Team Lead Business Development & Carbon Removal, Landwärme
Biography
Caroline Braun
Team Lead Business Development & Carbon Removal, Landwärme

Caroline Braun graduated with a master’s degree in Industrial and Network Economics from the Technical
University in Berlin. With a strong passion for the energy sector, she started working at 50hertz, one of
Germany’s transmission system operators, during her studies. After moving to Munich, she further honed
her expertise in the natural gas industry through her role at PGNiG Supply and Trading. Starting in
business development and later transitioning into a natural gas trader position, she garnered invaluable
insights that solidified her understanding of the market.
At Landwärme, Caroline Braun is the Teamlead for Business Development and Carbon Removal, driving
the implementation of innovative solutions in the area of green gases. Her team’s and Landwärme’s key
priority is to establish a value chain for biogenic CO2 and generate the negative emissions urgently needed
to achieve carbon neutrality.

Close

Ruud Kempener

Ruud Kempener

Team Leader on industrial decarbonisation, DG ENER, European Commission
Biography
Ruud Kempener
Team Leader on industrial decarbonisation, DG ENER, European Commission

Ruud Kempener is a team leader on industrial decarbonisation within the Directorate-General for Energy at the European Commission. Ruud joined the Commission in 2016 and has been responsible for the development of EU’s hydrogen policy, renewables financing, and international cooperation activities on renewables as well as a cabinet member for Commissioner Kadri Simson. Before that, Ruud was the Power Sector Transformation Strategies Analyst at International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and he was responsible for the initial development of IRENA’s global renewable energy roadmap. From 2007 to 2011, Ruud spend two years as a Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex, UK. Ruud received his PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Sydney, Australia and an MSc in Technology & Society from Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands.

Close

15:15 - 15:35

Coffee break

15:35 - 15:45

Keynote speech

Speakers

MEP Tsvetelina Penkova

MEP Tsvetelina Penkova

Shadow Rapporteur NZIA, Vice-Chair of ITRE Committee, European Parliament
Biography
MEP Tsvetelina Penkova
Shadow Rapporteur NZIA, Vice-Chair of ITRE Committee, European Parliament

Tsvetelina PENKOVA is a Member of the European Parliament from the Group of Socialists and Democrats.

She is a Vice-Chair of the Industry, Energy and Research (ITRE), member of Regional Development (REGI), Internal Market (IMCO) and Monetary Affair (ECON) Committees.

Tsvetelina Penkova is a vice-chair of the group for support of nuclear energy in the European Parliament.  She is the President of the European Energy Forum.

She was previously a finance specialist at an investment fund in London, an investment banker at the Royal Bank of Scotland and an analyst at Egon Zehnder. Prior to this, she was a Consultant at ING and a financial analyst at Astra Zeneca.

She holds a Master’s degree in Financial Economics from Oxford University, double Bachelor’s degree at Bocconi University in Milan and the Central European University in Budapest.

Close

15:45 - 15:55

Story –The RAG Energy Valley

Speakers

Siegfried Kiss

Siegfried Kiss

Head of Business Development, RAG Austria
Biography
Siegfried Kiss
Head of Business Development, RAG Austria

Siegfried Kiss began his professional career in 1995 as a construction manager at PORR AG. Since 2005, he has worked for RAG in the areas of commercial storage development, business development storage and transport, corporate development. From 2013 to 2016 he was Managing Director of RAG Energy Drilling GmbH. Since 2017 Mr. Kiss is authorized representative of RAG Austria AG and he develops new technologies like Underground Hydrogen Storages, Methane Electrolysis and Import Projects for Hydrogen like “H2EU+Store”.

Mr. Kiss holds a degree in petroleum engineering from the Mining University of Leoben.

Close

15:55 - 16:55

Panel 2 and Q&A – Decarbonisation in action: The synergies between hydrogen and CCS/CCUS

Speakers

Johan Leuraers

Johan Leuraers

Vice President Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Equinor
Biography
Johan Leuraers
Vice President Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Equinor

Johan Leuraers heads up the Policy and Regulatory function for the midstream business in Equinor. His team assumes responsibility for the follow-up of policy and regulatory affairs related to the marketing of the groups products (oil, gas, power and low carbon) in Europe. Johan is trained as a commercial engineer at the KU Leuven and joined Equinor in 1996. Throughout his career he worked and lived abroad holding managerial positions in Finance and Shared Services before joining the Policy and Regulatory team in Brussels.

Close

Goher Ur Rehman Mir

Goher Ur Rehman Mir

Head of Global Sustainable Fuels Policy, SHV Energy
Biography
Goher Ur Rehman Mir
Head of Global Sustainable Fuels Policy, SHV Energy

Goher Ur Rehman Mir is part of a newly established business unit ‘Futuria Fuels’ at SHV Energy. He is responsible for demystifying policies that impact sustainable fuels development with focus on renewable liquid gas. He works closely with public affairs community at SHV Energy to perform evidence-based advocacy. Goher is an experienced professional in policy analysis, energy economics and stakeholder engagement and has worked on a broad range of topics covering industrial decarbonization, sustainability certification, CCSU as well as GHG assessments. He currently chairs a group that drives renewable liquid gas activities at WLGA – global trade association for liquid gas sector. He is tasked to discuss strategic direction for the group and set priorities to deliver tools that contribute to the collective benefit of the industry.

Close

Lee Beck

Lee Beck

Senior Director, Europe and Middle East, Clean Air Task Force
Biography
Lee Beck
Senior Director, Europe and Middle East, Clean Air Task Force

Lee Beck is CATF’s Senior Director in Europe and the Middle East, leading CATF’s
climate strategy to advance a broad portfolio of solutions in both regions. She is also
responsible for advancing CATF’s efforts on the global climate policy stage through
CATF’s presence at COP28 in the UAE and at COP27 in Egypt. Having worked on
climate and clean energy and lived in the U.S. and Europe, Lee is an expert on
transatlantic partnerships and international affairs, and is passionate about
advancing and strengthening the transatlantic relationship to achieve climate goals.
Before stepping into her current role, Lee was CATF’s Global Director for carbon
capture, leading the team’s expansion in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, and
helping launch CATF’s overall European efforts. Under her leadership, the carbon
capture team played an integral role in advancing cutting-edge carbon management
policies globally. The team helped secure $12 billion in funding for carbon capture,
removal, and storage in the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as
make improvements to the 45Q tax credit in the Inflation Reduction Act. The team
also put forward the vision for a European Strategy for Carbon Capture and Storage.
Lee came to CATF from the Global CCS Institute, where she served as a Senior
Advisor leading the Institute’s advocacy efforts in North America, and was part of a
global team focused on advocacy and policy. Previously, Lee worked for the
Vermont Energy Investment Cooperation, and at Eni USA in their Washington DC
International Relations Office, focusing on international affairs and government
relations. She also worked for the EU Delegation to the U.S. as a trainee on
transportation, energy, and environmental policy issues. Before working in the
energy field, Lee was a journalist reporting for multiple outlets reporting from
Germany, Italy, Tanzania and Hong Kong.
She has a Master of Arts in International Affairs & Economics with majors in Energy,
Resources & Environment and Political Economy from Johns Hopkins University’s
School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). A German citizen, she speaks
German, French, and Italian. She is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic
Council Global Energy Center.

Close

Laurent Remy

Laurent Remy

External Communication Manager, Fluxys
Biography
Laurent Remy
External Communication Manager, Fluxys

Laurent Remy joined Fluxys’ communication department as Spokesperson and Social Media Manager in 2013, before becoming Spokesperson and Business Intelligence Manager in October 2021. Laurent is since January 2023 entirely focussing on energy transition within the newly created Fluxys’ business unit Nextgrid as External Communication Manager.

Laurent is an industrial engineer by training, with a specialisation in electricity. He started his career at the vertically integrated energy company Distrigas in 1993 as an engineer in the national control room. After the demerger of Distrigas in 2001, he took responsibility for the LT Purchase Contracts and Trading Administration unit within the newly formed trading company Distrigas. In 2005 he joined gas infrastructure company Fluxys as Gas Flow Development Sr. Officer and in 2008 he gave his career a commercial turn, becoming Key Account Manager for both Huberator (then operator of the trading point Zeebrugge Hub) and Fluxys (transmission, storage and LNG terminalling services).

Close

Charlotte Melchiorsen

Charlotte Melchiorsen

Team Leader – Cleantech, Invest in Denmark
Biography
Charlotte Melchiorsen
Team Leader – Cleantech, Invest in Denmark

Charlotte Melchiorsen is team leader of the Cleantech team at Invest in Denmark, part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The Cleantech team assist foreign companies to invest in the renewable energy sector in Denmark and to accelerate the green transition internationally. This includes the field of hydrogen and CCS/CCUS. The work requires a strong sector knowledge and a trusted network of professionals from industry, government and internationally e.g. trade departments at the embassies. Charlotte Melchiorsen joined the Ministry in 2022 and before that, Charlotte has been with Energinet, the Danish gas and electricity TSO, as well as seconded to ENTSO-E in Brussels. Charlotte Melchiorsen holds a Masters degree in Political Science from University of Copenhagen.

Close

Siegfried Kiss

Siegfried Kiss

Head of Business Development, RAG Austria
Biography
Siegfried Kiss
Head of Business Development, RAG Austria

Siegfried Kiss began his professional career in 1995 as a construction manager at PORR AG. Since 2005, he has worked for RAG in the areas of commercial storage development, business development storage and transport, corporate development. From 2013 to 2016 he was Managing Director of RAG Energy Drilling GmbH. Since 2017 Mr. Kiss is authorized representative of RAG Austria AG and he develops new technologies like Underground Hydrogen Storages, Methane Electrolysis and Import Projects for Hydrogen like “H2EU+Store”.

Mr. Kiss holds a degree in petroleum engineering from the Mining University of Leoben.

Close

16:55 - 17:05

Closing Keynote – Eastern Lights Project – Development of CO2 transport and storage in Eastern Europe

Speakers

Rossen Papazov

Rossen Papazov

CEO, Holcim Bulgaria
Biography
Rossen Papazov
CEO, Holcim Bulgaria

Rossen Papazov is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of extensive experience within the Holcim Group, leading various business units across the cement, aggregates and ready-mix concrete industries. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Holcim Bulgaria, where he has driven significant growth and innovation, particularly in decarbonization strategies and market expansion. Papazov has held CEO positions with Lafarge South Africa and Holcim Azerbaijan and senior management positions with Holcim Belgium and Holcim Romania. Prior to joining Holcim, he worked as a financial expert at the World Bank in Eastern Europe. He holds an MBA from IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland and a Master’s Degree in Finance from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria.  Papazov is also a Board member of the Bulgarian Cement Industry Association.

Close

17:05 - 17:15

Concluding remarks

Speakers

Andreas Guth

Andreas Guth

Secretary General, Eurogas
Biography
Andreas Guth
Secretary General, Eurogas

Andreas Guth is the Secretary General of Eurogas, a role he has held since September 2024.

Andreas is a seasoned EU affairs professional and Policy Director at Eurogas. With over 15 years of experience in EU affairs in Brussels, he has been at the forefront of policy advocacy in various fields.

In 2019, Andreas joined Eurogas, the leading association representing the gas industry in Europe, as the Policy Director. In this role, he was responsible for the coordination and implementation of the association’s policy work and advocacy strategy, including on all relevant aspects of the Green Deal, Fit for 55, and REPowerEU. Andreas works closely with Eurogas’ members to ensure that their collective voice is heard at European level and that they contribute to shaping the EU’s energy transition agenda.

Before joining Eurogas, Andreas worked for the biofuels industry, where he developed expertise in energy and climate policy. His experience in EU affairs covers a broad range of sectors, including energy, transport, trade and customs policy.

Andreas holds an MA in political science from the University of Maastricht, where he specialized in European integration and governance. He is passionate about contributing to the development of sustainable policies that support the EU’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

Close

17:15 - 18:15

Networking drinks