What: For economic, environmental and social reasons, Europe needs to reduce its exposure to rising fuel prices and increased dependence on foreign energy supply. Large scale wind power is key to steering Europe towards an indigenous, clean, secure and affordable energy future, while reaping the economic opportunities of technology exports. Challenges need to be overcome to integrate significant amounts of wind power into the grid.

The EWEA conference ‘Large Scale Integration of Wind Energy’ will focus on:

- Policy and business issues to develop an interconnected grid for Europe.
- Technical challenges to integrate more wind power into the European electricity grid.
- Infrastructure investments and financing.
- System studies and best practices.
- Transnational Offshore Grids.

The results of the conferences will provide answers to the European Council’s ambition to create a single European grid and the proposed Priority Interconnection Plan.

Who: High level speakers and delegates from institutions, regulators, TSOs, ministries, utilities and industry will take part in the grid debates. Among the speakers:

Andris Piebalgs - Commissioner for Energy, European Commission Mechtild Rothe - MEP, European Parliament
Claude Turmes – MEP, European Parliament
Britta Thomsen – MEP, European Parliament
Anne Laperrouze - MEP, European Parliament
President EWEA: Arthouros Zervos, President, EWEA
President ETSO: Daniel Dobbeni, President, ETSO
Urban Rid - Director General, Ministry of Environment, Germany
Sir John Mogg - ERGEG/CER, United Kingdom

When:7 – 8 November 2006

Where: Concert Noble, 82 rue d’Arlon, B-1040 Bruxelles Who:

Organisers: European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) – European Commission – European Transmission System Operators (ETSO)

Sponsors: ABB - Airtricity

More: A press conference will take place 7 November at 11.00. For more information about the programme and registration form (free access to accredited press): www.ewea.org/integration