About the conference

The transition to a 100% CO₂-free energy supply across all sectors (mobility and logistics, the built environment, agriculture, industry, and beyond ) is increasingly challenged by the mismatch between the rising integration of renewable energy and the simultaneous growth in electricity demand. For the existing electrical networks, the limits are being reached in many places with regard to available capacity for input and consumption of energy with grid congestion as a result. This constraint is not only slowing down the energy transition but also hindering the sustainable growth of companies, business parks, and industrial zones. In the coming years, these limitations will become even more pressing as hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping, aviation, heavy industry, and large-scale mobility will rely more heavily on electrified solutions for sustainable heat, fuels, and chemical feedstocks—demanding new forms of conversion, flexibility, and integration.

Smart Energy Hubs (SEHs) offer a comprehensive and scalable solution to these challenges. Acting as decentralized, intelligent nodes, SEHs connect various energy carriers (e.g. electricity, heat, cooling, gas, and hydrogen) into a single, smartly managed system. They enable the dynamic interaction between local energy generation, conversion, storage, and consumption. This approach not only enhances the efficiency and reliability of local energy systems but also reduces the need for large-scale grid reinforcements by mitigating congestion at the source. Early implementations are already demonstrating impact through capacity-limiting contracts, local energy management systems, on-site battery storage, and smart charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, especially within industrial clusters and business parks.

The strength of Smart Energy Hubs lies in their ability to balance local energy flows, ensuring that renewable energy produced within an area can also be consumed locally, even in the presence of grid constraints. This creates space for sustainable economic activity, enhances energy security, and supports business continuity in congested regions. Their successful deployment, however, depends on a highly interdisciplinary approach, involving fields such as energy systems engineering, control systems, power electronics, economics, and social sciences.

The effective realization of Smart Energy Hubs requires strong multi-stakeholder collaboration. Governments, private sector actors, academic institutions, and local communities all play key roles in shaping policy and driving innovation.