Powering Europe’s Competitiveness: Scaling Renewable Solutions for a Secure and Affordable Transition
Europe’s path to climate neutrality must work in practice, not only in principle. With rural areas accounting for around 30% of the EU population, the transition must deliver solutions that are not only low-carbon, but also practical, affordable and accessible for households, businesses and industries beyond Europe’s main urban centres. As the EU advances towards its 2040 climate target, these questions are becoming increasingly urgent across heating, transport and other sectors where infrastructure, geography and cost constraints shape what is realistically deployable.
These are the questions at the heart of Liquid Gas Europe’s upcoming policy event, organised in media partnership with The Parliament Magazine.
Join us for a high-level lunch panel discussion on 6 May in the European Parliament in Brussels, where leading policymakers, industry experts and civil society representatives will tackle this challenge head-on, with contributions from Pietro Fiocchi MEP (ECR, Italy), Seán Kelly MEP (EPP, Ireland), Jan-Christoph Oetjen MEP (Renew, Germany) and Adina Vălean MEP (EPP, Romania).
Agenda
13:00 – 13:30
Networking lunch
13:30 – 13:40
Welcome remarks
13:40 – 13:50
Opening Presentation: Scaling Renewable Liquid Gas Production in Europe: From Policy to Practice
Ewa Abramiuk - Lété, General Manager, Liquid Gas Europe
13:50 – 14:30
Panel I – Decarbonising Heating and Cooling: Exploring the Role of Renewable Fuels in Europe’s Climate Targets
Sean Kelly, MEP, European Parliament
Adina Vălean, MEP, European Parliament
Monica Di Pinti, European Heating Industry
Goher Ur Rehman Mir, SHV Energy
Graham Green, DCC Energy
This discussion will explore how renewable and climate-neutral solutions can support the decarbonisation of heating and cooling, particularly in rural and off-grid areas, while balancing affordability, industrial competitiveness and territorial cohesion. It will also touch on the role of the EU Heating and Cooling Strategy, ETS II and the Social Climate Fund in enabling a fair transition.
14:30 – 15:10
Panel II – CO₂ Standards for Cars and Vans: Ensuring a Fair and Competitive Transition in Road Transport
Pietro Fiocchi, MEP, European Parliament
Jan-Christoph Oetjen, MEP, European Parliament
Sergio de la Torre, Renault/Dacia
Marco Seimandi, Westport Fuel Systems
Anna Álvarez Rodríguez, Repsol
This panel will focus on how the EU can reduce emissions from road transport while preserving mobility, consumer choice and industrial competitiveness. Speakers will discuss the future of the CO₂ standards framework, lifecycle emissions, and how renewable fuels can complement electrification in a balanced transition.
15:10 – 15:30
Coffee break
