“We are facing an existential threat; environmental, health-wise and economical as a result of climate change …fires in California are not restricted anymore to a fire season and resulting human suffering is tremendous. Californian Governor Jerry Brown addressed the EU High-level Eenrgy conference in the EU Parliament on November 7, 2017 in an much applauded emotional keynote speech

On the day that the European Commission awarded the Horizon 2017 European Capital of Innovation (iCapital) prize of €1,000,000 to Paris (France), Ando Leppiman, deputy state secretary of Economic Affairs of current EU president Estonia mentioned the Member States desire, with regards to the new Multi Annual Financial Framework,  to continue CEF program funding beyond 2020 with emphasis on innovation in synergies between energy, transport and ICT.

Adina Iona Valean, MEP Chair of the ENVI Committee, thanked Tim Karlsson of IPHE for mentioning the role of hydrogen in energy transition and Ruggero Corrias  of Snam Reti Gas of Italy, confirmed the possibility of putting hydrogen into their pipeline system. Although reference was made again to  hydrogen as a medium to long-term solution, the absence of any mentioning to hydrogen until late in the afternoon was staggering.

Werner Hoyer president of the European Investment Bank reported that the Junker Fund, European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) has commited already 47 bln, resulting in 240 bln additional  investments of which 21% into energy but only 9% into transport.

EC Vice-president Maroš Šefčovič referred to the need for synergies in energy transition to leverage funding and speed up progreess as well.

Gunther Oettinger, Commissioner for Budgets remembered the audience that 20% of the overall EU budget should include climate change action: 150 bln has been spent.

Miguel Arias Cañete reported that since 1990 the EU cut CO2 emissions by 23% while GDP has been growing.

Claude Turmes, MEP Greens: 63% CEF funding goes currently to gas: stop financing fossil gas and bring 5 bln CEF funding towards renewable energy and electrification of transport. No more funding for coal not even clean clean coal. An Energy Transition Fund is needed and EIB needs to provide more visibility of investment facility.

Catharina Sikow-Magny repsonsible for CEF in DG ENERindicated  interconnectors are the hardware in the deployment of renewable energy: 74 energy projects, in total 1.6 bln of the 5 bln Energy have been approved,  leveraged 48 bln of CAPEX. Electricity grid investment need to increase rapidly to address bottlenecks,  gas infrastructure is secured until 2022.

Morten Helveg Petersen, EP rapporteur for ACER Regulation called for fast response to delays in PCI’s.