After another year of record-busting temperatures, climate change has rarely been far from the headlines. With protesters increasingly taking to the streets to demand action, governments across Europe have begun to adopt ambitious targets to reach net zero by 2050, or in some cases even sooner.
To be clear, decarbonisation will require a radical transformation of the energy industry, encompassing everything from supply and demand dynamics to fundamental questions of market design. The Aurora Spring Forum will take stock of where we are and where we are heading.
Specifically, we will explore:
How do we reach the two degrees target, and is it even possible?
Are market forces enough to achieve the required level of renewables build out? What role will governments need to play?
How much wind and solar can we integrate before completely new solutions are needed, both in terms of policy, markets and technology?
How do we make sure grids are ready for the challenge?
What role will data, digitalisation, automation and blockchain play?
What will be the role for gas and LNG in the low carbon transition? To what extent is CCS a prerequisite?
Similarly, what will be the role of the supermajors? What will they look like in 2050, assuming they still exist?
How much reforestation and other carbon sinks will we need? What are the limitations?
The Aurora Spring Forum has grown into one of the leading gatherings of energy executives and senior decision makers in Europe, attracting more than 300 participants in 2019. It is a full day of thought-provoking analysis, debate and networking deliberately held at the unique setting at the University of Oxford. The day will conclude with a champagne reception and a formal dinner in an Oxford college dining hall.