Sir Richard Branson to Speak about Innovation at All-Energy

Sir Richard Branson is a highly welcome last minute addition to the list of speakers at All-Energy 2014. The UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition and conference is being held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), 21-12 May.

Speaking live from his renowned Necker Island base, Sir Richard will be joining the conference at 15:0 on Thursday 22 May through the medium of Skype; his presentation will take place at the end of “Investing in the future – innovation” a session devoted to innovation in the offshore wind sector (Crombie B at AECC)

“Sir Richard may not be directly involved with offshore wind, but the fact that this session is being chaired by Calum Davidson, Highland and Islands Enterprise’s Director of Energy and Low Carbon was the deciding factor. The work on island energy systems undertaken by Sir Richard and The Carbon War Room makes Calum’s involvement particularly relevant,” says Judith Patten, All-Energy’s Conference Director.

“Earlier in the day, Peter Boyd, Chief Operating Officer, The Carbon War Room will be speaking in the Plenary Session at 09:15 with its theme ‘Taking a different view’. The Carbon War Room is a global non-profit organisation, founded by Sir Richard Branson and a team of like-minded entrepreneurs that accelerates the adoption of business solutions that reduce carbon emissions at gigaton scale and advance the low-carbon economy. The organisation focuses on solutions that can be realised using proven technologies under current policy landscapes. Having Sir Richard with us later in the same day will give our audience a greater understanding of the work of the organisation.”

The Carbon War Room identifies and works in sectors where emissions can be reduced profitably, and where there are barriers preventing greater adoption of low-carbon solutions.

Peter Boyd will be combining climate change and optimism in the same talk, airing the view that “solving climate change is the single biggest society opportunity on the planet today” and encouraging everyone in the audience “to grasp the opportunities and profit from it at the same time” ….. Two case studies of Carbon War Room’s recent work highlight the opportunities and have resonance in Scotland as well as around the world – island energy systems, and fuel efficient shipping.