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Florian A. Schneider

Catherine Grossman

Carbon-Free Europe is delighted to invite you to an evening of drinks, appetizers, and conversation as we celebrate the official launch of our mission to drive the transition to a carbon-free future. This milestone marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our efforts to accelerate the deployment of clean energy solutions and foster global collaboration.
Join us as we kick off our journey to shape a sustainable energy landscape, creating impactful change across Europe and beyond. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with professionals and advocates from the energy sector, share ideas, and engage in thought-provoking discussions about the future of clean energy.
We would be honoured to have you join us as we reflect on the challenges ahead, celebrate the progress we’re making, and look to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Carbon-Free Europe invites you to an evening of drinks and conversation as we celebrate our launch as a fully European organisation, dedicated to accelerating the transition to a carbon-free future.

Cheers to Carbon-Free Europe

On 25th September 2024, Carbon-Free Europe (CFE) hosted our third flagship event in  Brussels, bringing together policymakers, energy experts, civil society and industry  leaders to exchange views on how the EU can balance its decarbonisation efforts with maintaining economic competitiveness.
Following opening words from Carbon-Free Europe co-founder, Lindsey Walter, we were delighted to be joined for keynote remarks by Yvon Slingenberg, Director for Strategy, Analysis and Planning at the European Commission’s DG CLIMA. Ms Slingenberg stressed the need for Europe to remain committed to its emissions reduction goals outlined in the European Green Deal and highlighted the need for increased support from policymakers on the implementation of the Fit for 55 legislation and close cooperation with Member States to update their National Climate and Energy Plans (NECPs). Looking to the new mandate, one of DG CLIMA’s main priorities will be the negotiation and finalisation of the EU’s 2040 climate target.  
Next, Kelsey Paulding, EU Director for Carbon-Free Europe, moderated a fireside chat focused on EU-level efforts to boost competitiveness with Łukasz Koliński, Acting Director for Green Transition and Energy System Integration at the European Commission’s DG ENER, and Philipp Offenberg, Director of Europe at Breakthrough Energy. Both speakers welcomed the progress made in the last mandate particularly on boosting deployment of renewables, and finalising a new electricity market design framework. In the coming five years, speakers stressed the need for the new EU Commission to pair regulatory measures on decarbonisation with complimentary initiatives to support implementation, address energy costs, and boost EU competitiveness. Discussion also focused on the need for transatlantic cooperation on clean tech to bolster economic growth and energy security.
The second panel discussion focused on how Member States can leverage their own resources and economies to pursue their best path to a secure, affordable, clean energy future Kira Taylor, Climate and Energy Reporter, moderated the insightful discussion between Albéric Mongrenier, Executive Director of the European Initiative for Energy Security, Tamara Lagurashvili, Director for Central and Eastern Europe at Clean Air Task Force, and Ben Haley, Co-Founder of Evolved Energy Research. Notably, panelists highlighted the need to shift political focus from the costs of the energy transition to the benefits and opportunities it presents, while also emphasising the importance of a flexible approach which allows Member States to choose the best strategies and technologies to meet emissions reduction targets.
The event also marked the release of our third annual energy systems analysis for Europe, conducted in partnership with Evolved Energy Research. This <a href="https://www.carbonfreeeurope.org/modelling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annual Decarbonisation Perspective</a> is a valuable tool for stakeholders seeking to understand trade-offs of different strategies to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. 
Several key findings from this year’s study were highlighted during the discussion including what clean energy technologies need to be deployed and when, the investments and infrastructure needed to support these technologies, and the importance of having a flexible EU policy framework that empowers Member States to stay on track to reach emissions reduction targets. You can find more details on these topics in our full report. 
View the full recording of the event <a href="https://youtu.be/Lz5ppkdXCos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<a title="How Can Europe Be Competitive in a Net-Zero Economy?" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/196527949@N05/albums/72177720320985618" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54049611257_7fdfb2e256_z.jpg" alt="How Can Europe Be Competitive in a Net-Zero Economy?" width="640" height="480"></a>

(How) Can Europe Be Competitive in a Net-Zero Economy?

Carbon-Free Europe and Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program co-hosted a dynamic workshop on clean energy industrial strategy last week. Convening under Chatham House rules, the organisations led a diverse group of stakeholders from finance, government, industry, and the nonprofit world in a discussion on the future of industrial strategy in the US and abroad. The conversation focused on opportunities for collaboration between the private and public sectors to strengthen and sustain a clean energy industrial strategy and enhance transatlantic cooperation across various clean energy technologies.
The discussion underscored the need for both Europe and the US to balance dual priorities: efficient domestic decarbonisation and global decarbonisation efforts. Participants outlined the importance of aligning priorities, regulations, and standards to streamline international cooperation, amplify market power, reduce risk, make impactful joint investments, and boost collective global competitiveness. Working together, Europe and the US can strengthen a Clean Transatlantic Marketplace that will accelerate the deployment of clean technologies, boost economies, and counter authoritarian states that use energy as a tool to undermine democracy.

Carbon-Free Europe, Third Way Convene Workshop on Transatlantic Clean Energy Industrial Strategy

Carbon-Free Europe (CFE), in partnership with the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment and the Silesian University of Technology (SUT), convened Polish clean energy economy stakeholders in Warsaw on 15 May, 2024 to examine new modelling on Poland’s net-zero pathways and the updated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). 
Anna Madyniak, Head of Energy Policy Unit, Department of Strategy and Analysis of the Ministry of Climate and Environment presented the status of Poland’s NECP update. Lindsey Walter, co-founder of CFE, then presented the results of the Poland modelling, including findings on clean heat, coal and carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS), nuclear energy, renewable resource availability, clean hydrogen, and electric vehicles.
CFE, SUT, and the Ministry then held an open dialogue with attendees from across government, academia, and industry to further identify key aspects and potential pathways that Poland must consider on its path to net-zero.
<h4>Net-Zero Poland Modelling Analysis</h4>
Ahead of Poland’s NECP submission to the European Commission, CFE, SUT, the Institute of Power Engineering, Princeton University’s Andlinger Center, and Evolved Energy Research performed an energy systems modelling study to identify pathways for Poland to net-zero emissions by 2050. This study offers key insights to help inform Poland’s NECP and future net-zero milestones, policies, national strategies, and long-term investments.
Sign up for emails on our homepage to receive updates on our modelling.
<a title="Carbon-Free Europe, Polish Clean Energy Leaders Convene for NECP &amp; Energy Systems Modeling Dialogue" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/196527949@N05/albums/72177720317203581" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610873318_f3486d35b0_z.jpg" alt="CFE Convenes Climate and Trade Leaders for Green Transatlantic Marketplace Discussion" width="640" height="480"></a>

Carbon-Free Europe, Polish Clean Energy Leaders Convene for NECP & Energy Systems Modeling Dialogue

Join Carbon-Free Europe for an upcoming webinar discussion on the implications and consequences of the EU’s new 2040 Climate Targets.
Panelists will examine the potential impacts of these targets as well as how Europe will need to ensure clean infrastructure growth, technology development, financing, and equitable distribution among EU Member States in order to secure a net-zero economy.
<h3>Panelists</h3>
Moderator Ciarán Humphreys, Senior Fellow, Institute for Climate Economics Dr. Florian A. Schneider, Senior Research Advisor, Carbon-Free Europe Maja Pozvek, Government Affairs Manager, Clean Air Task Force, Europe Adriana Rodriguez, Research Associate, Climate Strategy and Partners
Tuesday, 19 March 2024 14:00-15:00 CET Zoom
<h3><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_r1Q-e8B5SBSvujAWzxcMLA#/registration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Register Here</a></h3>

Webinar - From Vision to Reality: Understanding and Achieving the EU's 2040 Climate Targets

The EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) held its first stakeholder dialogue of 2024 in Washington, DC in January to discuss the creation of a Green Transatlantic Marketplace. This convening <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/31/readout-of-u-s-eu-trade-and-technology-council-fifth-ministerial-meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">included discussions</a> with global leaders on strengthening the transatlantic marketplace to support net-zero economies in the US and EU.
Amid ongoing talks at the TTC, Carbon-Free Europe (CFE), Third Way, and Breakthrough Energy convened clean energy leaders for a panel discussion on opportunities for the US and EU to support the TTC’s efforts to fully integrate a climate and trade market and  support the swift deployment of clean energy technologies.
One of the United States Senate’s foremost clean energy leaders Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) opened the discussion with remarks on the urgency of leveraging the US and EU’s relationship to bolster clean energy trade and cooperation. The conversation continued with a panel on how the EU and the US can strengthen international cooperation to deploy clean energy technologies, led by EU MEP Lidia Pereira, Heather Evans of the International Trade Administration, Marco Margheri of Eni, and Catrina Rorke of the Climate Leadership Council.
<a title="CFE Convenes Climate and Trade Leaders for Green Transatlantic Marketplace Discussion" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/196527949@N05/albums/72177720317419779" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610873318_f3486d35b0_z.jpg" alt="CFE Convenes Climate and Trade Leaders for Green Transatlantic Marketplace Discussion" width="640" height="480"></a>

Carbon-Free Europe Convenes Climate & Trade Leaders for Green Transatlantic Marketplace Discussion

Carbon-Free Europe (CFE) recently convened global nuclear stakeholders at COP28 for its Nuclear for Net Zero Night, in collaboration with the Atlantic Council and Clean Air Task Force. The event strengthened relationships among some of the world’s foremost nuclear policy experts and stakeholders and offered attendees a closer look at CFE’s <a href="https://www.carbonfreeeurope.org/modelling/Carbon-Free-Europe-Annual-Decarbonization-Perspective-2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 Annual Decarbonisation Perspective</a>.
The evening served as a precursor to the World Nuclear Association’s offsite <a href="https://netzeronuclear.org/events/net-zero-nuclear-summit-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Net Zero Nuclear Summit</a>, where CFE co-founder Lindsey Walter moderated a panel on unlocking financing barriers and expanding customer bases for nuclear energy. The panel includedPresident of China National Nuclear Power, Zou Zhengyu; COO of Emirates Steel Arkan, Hassan Salim Shashaa; and Idaho National Laboratory Director of Integrated Energy &amp; Storage Systems, Shannon Bragg-Sitton. 
<a title="CFE’s Net Zero for Nuclear Night at COP28" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/196527949@N05/albums/72177720317403585/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53408884285_00babba385.jpg" alt="CFE’s Net Zero for Nuclear Night at COP28" width="640" height="480"></a>
Carbon-Free Europe engaged with an array of clean energy leaders throughout COP28, here’s a closer look at some of those conversations:
<ul>
<li>CFE co-founder Lindsey Walter spoke on the IAEA Atoms4Climate Blue Zone Pavilion panel Taking Stock of Nuclear Energy’s Role in Climate Action alongside African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) Executive Secretary, Mr. Enobot Agboraw, State Secretary to the Swedish Minister for Climate and the Environment, Daniel Westlén, and Founding Director of Terrapraxis, Kirsty Gogan. She spoke about nuclear energy’s treatment in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report and first Global Stocktake and the risks of leaving nuclear out of climate planning strategies. 
</li>
<li>Lindsey also participated in a private roundtable at the Global Decarbonization Accelerator Pavilion, titled Women and the Clean Energy Transition and hosted by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy in partnership with the US Department of Commerce and Atlantic Council. Participants discussed driving thought leadership and gender considerations in project development and financing. The event was moderated by Lauren Hughes, Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council’s Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, with participation from Marisa Lago, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade. 
</li>
<li>Lindsey attended the Climate Leadership Council’s dinner and roundtable on clean energy trade and opportunities to build a clean transatlantic marketplace. The convening featured opening remarks from Anthony Agotha, Special Envoy for Climate and Environment Diplomacy for the European External Action Service and former member of Frans Timmermans cabinet leading on transatlantic relations. 
</li>
<li>Lindsey spoke on the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and World Nuclear Association's Net Zero Nuclear Export Financing Green Zone Panel, which was specifically designed to highlight Third Way’s recommendations on export finance. She was joined by Omar Ben Halim from the US International Development Finance Corporation, who emphasized the importance of development finance and export credit agencies in supporting nuclear projects. 
</li>
<li>Lindsey moderated a panel, Building Social License for Nuclear, in the Net Zero Nuclear Blue Zone Pavilion with the President Elect of the American Nuclear Society, Lisa Marshall, and Executive VP of AtkinsRealis Nuclear Canada, Gary Rose. They discussed best practices for community engagement for new nuclear projects. 
</li>
<li>Lindsey moderated a panel, Youth and Sweden’s New Nuclear Roadmap, with the State Secretary to the Swedish Minister for Climate and the Environment, Daniel Westlén, and two youth advocates for nuclear energy. They broke down Sweden’s newly released plans to build two large nuclear reactors by 2035 and 10 others by 2045, and discussed the role of young climate activists in changing Sweden’s historic anti-nuclear stance. It wasn’t that long ago in 1980 when Sweden planned to phase out all nuclear energy, but this new nuclear roadmap is the latest in a series of wins for nuclear power in Sweden.</li>
</ul>

CFE’s Net Zero for Nuclear Night at COP28

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Last year, Carbon-Free Europe released energy systems modelling, which identified five different pathways for the EU and UK to reach their 2050 net-zero emissions commitments. Starting in 2023, CFE will update our analysis annually to capture the changing energy and policy landscapes. This year’s modelling includes the Fit for 55 package, as well as new decarbonisation goals from REPowerEU, the Hydrogen strategy, and more. We released this 2023 modelling report during our Net-Zero Outlook event on 7 June in Brussels.
We heard from CFE’s founding leadership, keynote speakers, researchers, and policy experts. The event included a panel on this year’s policy theme: Scaling Clean Energy Innovation and Investments to Enhance Competitiveness. Following this panel and closing remarks, we enjoyed a night at the museum cocktail reception, where guests networked and leisurely browsed the exhibits.
<a href="https://www.carbonfreeeurope.org/product/Carbon-Free-Europes-Annual-Decarbonisation-Perspective-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to view highlights from the event. </a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ahBf-6NIk0&amp;t=1s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View the full recording of the event here.</a>
</div>
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/69yeKYbtUiM?si=BJIsO2xbaquE71il" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<a title="Carbon-Free Europe's Annual Decarbonisation Perspective 2023" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/196527949@N05/albums/72177720317408526/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53007799722_fd10205b67_z.jpg" alt="Carbon-Free Europe's Annual Decarbonisation Perspective 2023" width="640" height="480"></a>

Carbon-Free Europe's Annual Decarbonisation Perspective 2023

On 30th March 2022, Carbon-Free Europe hosted an event in the Residence Palace, Brussels, to launch the results of their cutting-edge energy systems modeling.
Keynote speakers Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Climate, Poland, and Sara Skyttedal, Member of the European Parliament, spoke about the new energy transition challenges in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. Josh Freed, CFE co-founder, provided introductory remarks, followed by a presentation of the modeling analysis presented by Lindsey Walter, CFE co-founder, and Isabelle Chan, CFE Policy Advisor. The event concluded with journalist Dave Keating moderating a panel of energy policy experts composed of Martin Pejřimovský, Energy attaché at the Permanent Representation of the Presidency of the Council to the EU, Czech Republic; Magnolia Tovar, Europe Director at Clean Air Task Force; Milan Elkerbout, research fellow at CEPS, and Myles Allen, Director at the Oxford Net Zero Initiative.
 
<a title="Net-Zero Pathways for Europe: Harnessing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/196527949@N05/albums/72177720302332307/show" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52377556842_954f378895_z.jpg" alt="Net-Zero Pathways for Europe: Harnessing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles" width="640" height="480"></a>

Net-Zero Pathways for Europe: Harnessing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles

Carbon-Free Europe was launched at COP26 in Glasgow, with a reception on 4th November 2021. Co-founders Josh Freed and Lindsey Walter were joined by guest speakers Varun Sivaram, senior advisor to John Kerry (U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate) and senior director for clean energy, innovation, and competitiveness in the Biden Administration, and Anna Shpitsberg, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Transformation at the U.S. Department of State. They discussed the need for transatlantic cooperation in low-carbon energy technology to reach net-zero worldwide.
<a title="COP26 Reception" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/196527949@N05/albums/72177720302323415/show" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52378501906_e885c30f31_z.jpg" alt="COP26 Reception" width="640" height="480"></a>

Events

Cheers to Carbon-Free Europe

Event Details

When

Where

Cheers to Carbon-Free Europe

(How) Can Europe Be Competitive in a Net-Zero Economy?

Carbon-Free Europe, Third Way Convene Workshop on Transatlantic Clean Energy Industrial Strategy

Carbon-Free Europe, Polish Clean Energy Leaders Convene for NECP & Energy Systems Modeling Dialogue

Webinar - From Vision to Reality: Understanding and Achieving the EU's 2040 Climate Targets

Carbon-Free Europe Convenes Climate & Trade Leaders for Green Transatlantic Marketplace Discussion

CFE’s Net Zero for Nuclear Night at COP28

Carbon-Free Europe's Annual Decarbonisation Perspective 2023

Net-Zero Pathways for Europe: Harnessing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles

COP26 Reception