Last month we supported our client ABB at the Enlit conference in Paris. Spread across two enormous halls at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, the event brought together thousands of experts from across the energy sector to discuss how to achieve the energy transition ‒ the challenges we need to overcome to build a digitalised, decarbonised energy system that is fit for a net zero future and the innovative ideas and technologies that can get us there.
Enlit’s programme included presentations and panels across several large stages as well as two decarbonisation and digitalisation hubs, with topics ranging from energy efficiency to cyber security.
As a Platinum Sponsor, ABB was involved across the board, from debating and discussing the trends they believe will define the direction of the energy sector in the near future to presenting and demonstrating some of the technologies that will help facilitate the energy transition, as well as making the most of the many opportunities for networking across the three-day event.
In our capacity as ABB’s media relations team, we were responsible for raising awareness of the company’s role in decarbonising the energy sector amongst the journalists that were present at the event. And we had plenty of opportunities to do so.
We were delighted to see strong media interest in the Digital Strategies Panel on 28 November, which was moderated by Sanjeet Sanghera, head of power grids and utilities at BloombergNEF, a research organisation that helps energy professionals generate opportunities. The panel was made up of experts from across the energy value chain, including ABB Electrification Service President Stuart Thompson, who participated in an animated discussion about the data architecture needed to accelerate the energy transition.
Later that day, Thompson was also interviewed by Kelvin Ross, Editor-in-Chief of Enlit Europe and Power Engineering International, where he discussed the top trends he sees affecting distribution and service in 2024 ‒ from edge computing to collaborating with innovative startups to circularity, a topic on which we also supported ABB in releasing a guide (also penned by Limegreen), Tackling Throwaway Culture, at the event.
ABB’s Mateusz Zajac, sustainability leader at ABB Electrification Service, delivered an engaging presentation on the topic of circularity, too, focused on repurposing existing electrical infrastructure, the following day.
We were also happy to support ABB’s representatives in briefings and interviews with other journalists. One topic that came up frequently was talent. As the grid becomes more and more digitalized, the skill sets required to manage and maintain it are evolving, they explained. But the energy sector is still not seen as a sexy, or even an impactful sector to enter amongst young people, which is a challenge that needs to be tackled ‒ and fast.
ABB’s Marco Nunes, as well as Golam Sadeghnia, CEO at Danish technology firm Oktogrid ‒ one of the many startups ABB is collaborating with to develop the innovative technology of the future ‒ also participated in a panel on skill set challenges on 29 November.
All in all, ABB told us they left Enlit feeling inspired about the possibilities to accelerate the energy transition, but also only too aware of the huge amount of work they have ahead of them to get where we need to be. We left the event proud to be working with a client that is committed to building a more sustainable world ‒ and with content ideas overflowing from our notebooks. We’re excited to put them into action over the weeks and months to come!
