Meeting of the Regional Energy Council
Representatives of the local government and companies from the energy and science sectors met during the 27th session of the Regional Energy Council. The event took place on May 24th, 2023, at the Centre of New Technologies of the Silesian University of Technology. The participants were welcomed by Vice-Rector for Cooperation with Civic and Economic Environment, prof Janusz Kotowicz and the chairman of the Regional Energy Council, Deputy Mayor of Rybnik, Janusz Koper.
The main topic of the meeting was energy storage and hydrogen technologies. The discussion also concerned the energy transformation and climate policy in the European Union. Professor Kotowicz presented the audience with a paper prepared in cooperation with prof. Tadeusz Chmielniak, on selected issues of hydrogen economy and energy storage. Then the participants had the opportunity to listen to the representatives of Enea Operator, PGE Energia Odnawialna and Tauron Dystrybucja, who talked about the experiences of their companies in the implementation of energy storage projects. Representatives of the Silesian Energy Warehouses Foundation, headed by the president of the board, Mr. Janusz Gładysz, presented the prospects for the development of energy storage technology in the region.
- The Council is a place for exchanging ideas in the field of energy saving and storage, as well as ways to obtain it cheaper - said prof. Kotowicz. The meetings of the council are attended by presidents and mayors of Silesian cities, representatives of the Silesian University of Technology and energy sector companies. - Silesia has always been a leader in terms of energy. It used to be coal-based, but now that's changing. We are all aware of the transformation of the energy industry. We are talking more and more about hydrogen technologies. The examples here are the cities of Gliwice and Rybnik. The latter cooperates intensively in this regard with the Silesian University of Technology, where the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Hydrogen Technologies will be established - added the Vice-Rector.
During the last council meeting, participants also discussed high energy costs, which are a huge problem for cities. – Over the last two years, these costs have increased by several hundred percent, hence our activities in the field of renewable energy sources. Photovoltaic panels are already on many public buildings. However, both the production and use of this type of energy is not stable. Therefore, we need to know how to protect ourselves when we need more electricity and how to store it when we have surpluses. We want to talk to scientists, energy distributors and energy storage producers and find out what their experience is in this area - said Janusz Koper, vice-president of Rybnik and chairman of the Regional Energy Council.
As emphasized by Witold Magryś from the Silesian Association of Municipalities and Districts, each meeting of the council is an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience. - The Regional Energy Council is the first forum of this type. It has been operating for 10 years, combining the scientific and practical spheres here. We hope that thanks to this we will be a step ahead in relation to the challenges posed by reality - he stressed.
The Regional Energy Council (RRE) was established on the initiative of the Silesian Association of Communes and Poviats in April 2013. The idea behind the commencement of the work of this body resulted from the increasing importance of energy issues in terms of both the energy security of our cities, as well as the efficiency of the energy market.
The mission of the Council is to act as a platform for communication and cooperation between various entities operating in the province. in the field of energy, as well as undertaking consultative and opinion-forming activities in this regard.
