European energy market challenges in focus at the 2014 REN Award conference

REN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais will hold the 19th edition of the REN Award on the first of October, at the Fundação Champalimaud centre. The speakers at the REN Award Conference will be Walter Boltz, Vice-Chair of the European energy regulator and Sami Andoura, Senior Researcher at Notre Europe - Jacques Delors Institute.

REN Award is the oldest scientific award in Portugal. This science prize has been honouring the best master's theses in the fields of electricity grids and natural gas systems since 1995.

The focus of this year's REN Award Conference will be the future of the European energy market. Walter Boltz, Vice-Chair of ACER (Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators), has been one of European figures in relations between Europe and Russia on European gas market issues. The Austrian will address the financing challenges of European energy infrastructure. Sami Andoura has extensive experience in managing EU energy policy research projects. At the conference, he will speak about the future of European energy policy.

In the afternoon, both speakers will join Jorge Vasconcelos, Chairman of NEWES - New Energy Solutions and the Administrative Board of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators nominated by the European Parliament, to debate energy issues. This round table moderated by Francisco Ferreira da Silva, of Diário Económico newspaper, will debate the 'European Energy Market: Security of supply and consumer protection'.

Lastly, João Peças Lopes, professor at FEUP - Porto University and Chairman of the REN Prize jury, will announce this year's winners. The winning work will then be presented to those at the ceremony.