With just five weeks until All-Energy opens at Glasgow's SEC, organisers have announced that UK Energy Minister, Michael Shanks MP, will address the conference opening plenary session on Wednesday, 14 May, following a keynote address by Scotland's First Minister, The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP. All-Energy is the UK's largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference.

Following his address, Minister Shanks will participate in a panel discussion focusing on Britain's Clean Power Mission.

"When the two Ministers have finished their keynote addresses we move to a what I know will be a stimulating panel discussion on the Clean Power Mission 2030," explained Event Manager Anam Khan of RX, the owners and organisers of the two-day event. "We are delighted that Minister Shanks is staying on to take part in the panel discussion before undertaking a lightning tour of the exhibition."

The 90-minute opening session will be chaired by Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower, who will also give a short address after the Lord Provost's Civic Welcome and a video message from Professor Sir Jim Skea, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The video message will serve as a reminder of the importance of Clean Power 2030 and achieving Net Zero. The session will then proceed with the two political keynote addresses and the panel discussion.

Alongside Minister Shanks, panellists Juergen Maier, Chair of Great British Energy; Andrew Lever, Director – Energy Transition at the Carbon Trust; and Councillor Susan Aitken will provide perspectives from their respective organisations, leading into the inter-panel discussion.

"The Day 2 (15 May) plenary sessions follows a similar format," explained Anam Khan. "This time Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, will chair the session. The keynote speaker will be Chris Stark CBE, Head of UK's Mission for Clean Power, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)."

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The Day 2 panellists include Professor Keith Bell, ScottishPower Chair in Smart Grids, University of Strathclyde, Co-Director UK Energy Research Centre, and member of the Climate Change Committee; Tom Glover, UK Country Chair, RWE; Dhara Vyas, Chief Executive, Energy UK; Darren Davidson, Vice President UK & Ireland, Siemens Energy; and Rachel Fletcher, Director of Regulation and Economics, Octopus Energy.

Following the plenary sessions, the All-Energy conference will split into 11 parallel streams covering a wide range of topics, including all forms of renewable energy, grid and networks, and decarbonisation of heat. Scotland's Acting Minister for Climate Action, Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, will deliver a keynote address in the first of four sessions dedicated to heat decarbonisation. Other streams and sessions will focus on the decarbonisation of cities, with two specifically addressing Glasgow's Net Zero Routemap, as well as transport and industry. In addition to the main conference, there will be seven show floor theatres within the exhibition.

During lunchtime on Day 2, Tim Pick MBE, Commissioner, Clean Power 2030 Advisory Commission and Chair of the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, will participate in a fireside chat with Ed Reed, Editor of E-FWD.

Anam Khan further explained: “That's not where it ends, far from it, other topics that come under the conference spotlight include sessions on topics as varied as investment to skills and training, Purchase Power Agreements (PPAs) to hydrogen; attracting young people to the industries we serve to energy storage. Added to which there are sessions on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) and Mental Health in the workplace. The full programme is online."

Registration for All-Energy is open at www.all-energy.co.uk/PR. Attendance is free for individuals with relevant business, governmental, and academic interests, and includes access to the extensive exhibition, the main conference, show floor theatres, and the Civic Reception hosted by the Rt Hon Lord Provost of Glasgow on the evening of 14 May at the Glasgow Science Centre, which is a key part of the Giant Networking Evening.  

The All-Energy exhibition, renowned for its dynamic business environment, will feature over 270 exhibitors from 17 countries, including Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and numerous companies from across the UK and Northern Ireland. The full exhibitor directory is available online.

All-Energy is designated as a 'Smart Event', enabling visitors to easily collect information from exhibitors and feature areas using the Colleqt QR Code via their smartphones, eliminating the need for business cards and printed materials. Attendees will receive a daily summary email containing detailed information on each exhibitor they have scanned.

Shepherd and Wedderburn are the headline sponsor for the 11th consecutive year.

Other sponsors include Noventa, Hitachi Energy UK, Statkraft, SEFC, Black & Veatch, SGS, Flexitricity, AMSC, XING Mobility Inc, and the University of Sheffield. Glasgow Convention Bureau is the official partner, and The Society for Underwater Technology is the Learned Society Patron. This year's event, taking place during Glasgow's Climate Week and the city's 850-year celebrations, promises to be a particularly significant two days.

Correction: Please note that an earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Professor Stephen McArthur would chair the Day 2 plenary session. This session will in fact be chaired by the current Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, Professor Sir Jim McDonald.