Event profile
- Name: Decentralised Energy 2014.
- Dates: 13-14 May 2014.
- Venue: London, United Kingdom.
- Purpose / focus: A forum covering on-site and decentralised energy generation in the UK; aimed at helping attendees build robust business cases for onsite energy generation, security of supply, cost savings, new revenue streams and carbon reduction.
Target audience
The event was structured to include a broad cross-section of the UK energy supply chain and stakeholders. Specifically:
- Government bodies, local authorities, ESCOs, universities, hospitals.
- Corporate businesses (retailers, supermarkets, communications), technology and service providers.
- Financial institutions (banks, funds), consultants, utilities, housing developers.
Key topics / themes
Though specific speaker lists are not fully published publicly, the themes included:
- On-site generation: cost saving, supply security and revenue generation via decentralised energy systems.
- Technologies and services linked to decentralised energy: e.g., local generation, heat networks, CHP, renewables and demand side measures.
- Business modelling and finance: how to make the business case work for commercial, public-sector and institutional organisations.
- Policy, regulation and market frameworks in the UK energy sector (especially relevant in 2014 when decentralised energy was growing in policy focus).
Business relevance for attendees
For a UK business audience—such as an energy-user organisation, property developer, public sector body or finance house—the event offered:
- A networking platform with industry peers and suppliers of decentralised energy solutions.
- Insight into cost-falling technologies, how to access them, and how to develop projects that reduce reliance on grid supply and control energy costs.
- Exposure to new business models and revenue streams (for example via local energy networks, community energy, or embedded generation).
- An opportunity to keep pace with policy and regulatory change at a time when the UK government was increasing focus on decentralised energy.
Context and timing
- The event occurred at a time when the UK was emphasising decentralised energy solutions (e.g., heat networks, embedded generation).
- In May 2014 the UK Government published consultations relating to biomethane injection to grid under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.
- As the market matured, such events played a role in connecting the supply chain (technology, finance, users) with opportunity in decentralised energy.
Summary status
Decentralised Energy 2014 was a two-day London-based industry conference focused on onsite and embedded generation and related business models. It brought together policymakers, end-users, technology providers, financiers and consultants to explore how decentralised energy could deliver cost savings, security of supply and carbon reduction from a UK business perspective. For organisations reviewing their energy strategy in 2014 and beyond, the event would have offered valuable insight and contacts in the decentralised energy domain.