Leading national and international figures in wind, solar, energy storage, and green hydrogen will take the stage at the 4th International Congress on Industry for the Energy Transition, to be held at the Baluarte Conference Centre in Pamplona on 23 October.
This biennial event, organised by Enercluster with the special collaboration of the Government of Navarra, is supported by Acciona Energía, Nordex Group and Ingeteam as TERApartners; Grupo Enhol, Laulagun Bearings, Nabrawind, Repsol and Sakana Group as GIGApartners; and ARENA, ARPA Abogados Consultores, Array, Industrial Barranquesa, Beeplanet, EDP Renewables, EOSOL, IED, Grupo Inerzia, Leadernet, Renercycle, Ríos Renovables, Statkraft, Urgon and Energyloop as MEGApartners of the event.
“CITE25 comes at a time when renewable energy and its integration into the power grid are highly topical issues. In this edition, we will address these subjects along with other key matters such as the challenges facing the European renewable industry,” said Iker Chasco, Managing Director of Enercluster.
The 4th International Congress on Industry for the Energy Transition (CITE25) will bring together professionals from the wind, solar, energy storage and green hydrogen sectors on 23 October at the Baluarte Conference Centre in Pamplona. The event will feature prominent industry leaders, including CEOs and senior executives—most of them from major international corporations within the sector.
This was announced on Thursday by Iker Chasco, Managing Director of Enercluster, the organising body behind this biennial event, which enjoys the special collaboration of the Government of Navarra. The congress is sponsored by Acciona Energía, Nordex Group and Ingeteam as TERApartners; Grupo Enhol, Laulagun Bearings, Nabrawind, Repsol and Sakana Group as GIGApartners; and ARENA, ARPA Abogados Consultores, Array, Industrial Barranquesa, Beeplanet, EDP Renewables, EOSOL, IED, Grupo Inerzia, Leadernet, Renercycle, Ríos Renovables, Statkraft, Urgon and Energyloop as MEGApartners of the event. “We are at a pivotal moment in the energy transition,” he stated.
Building on this point, Chasco explained that CITE25 will address “the major challenges facing the renewable sector within a global context, with particular attention to the new regulations that are shaping the way forward.” The congress will also explore “the technological trends that are transforming the industry and, above all, the crucial role played by the European renewable sector in today’s complex geopolitical landscape,” he added.
In this regard, the Managing Director of Enercluster pointed out that “there are very ambitious targets for renewable energy deployment in Spain, across Europe, and even globally—but it is now that the real challenges are emerging.” He also referred to the “geopolitical challenges related to tariffs and overall global instability,” as well as those linked to “the integration of large volumes of renewables, which is leading to price cannibalisation and energy curtailment during certain hours of the day.” In addition to these, he highlighted the specific challenges facing the European supply chain, “with profitability issues, increasingly limited markets, and also significant challenges within the power grid, where system stability has become a pressing topic following the recent blackout.”
At the same time, Iker Chasco highlighted that renewables represent “a fast-growing sector full of major opportunities.” “A renewable industry like the one we have in Navarra—rooted in quality, excellence and innovation—must seize the opportunities arising in mature markets such as wind and solar, as well as in emerging sectors like energy storage, green hydrogen and circularity,” he stated. In this regard, the Managing Director of Enercluster concluded his presentation by affirming that “in this fourth edition, the European renewable industry will have a more prominent role than in any other similar congress in Europe.”
For his part, the Cabinet Member for Industry, Ecological Transition and Digital Business, Mikel Irujo Amezaga, expressed the Government of Navarra’s support and collaboration with this initiative, stating that it represents an industry which “is the third most important in the region, just behind the automotive and agri-food sectors.”
In this regard, Irujo highlighted the significance of an activity which, as he noted, “is supported by a strong industrial network of over 110 companies that together account for 10% of industrial employment in the region and generate a turnover of €4.5 billion—equivalent to 5% of Navarra’s regional GDP.”
He also stressed the government’s strong commitment: “Navarra has made a strategic commitment to an energy model that will allow us to achieve energy sovereignty. Every transformation brings challenges, but also opportunities. We must remain firm in our commitment to generating clean sources of energy that contribute to a sustainable community and planet. Only in this way can we face critical moments that impact the future of the industry—moments like the one we are currently experiencing.”
In this context, we are pleased with some of the steps taken by the European Commission within the Clean Industry Strategy published at the end of February—such as the inclusion, for the first time, of so-called “local content” requirements, meaning that certain components must be manufactured within Europe. This helps safeguard the value chain within the territory. However, we must act now—without excuses. In this regard, we are working alongside Enercluster on a European-level campaign, seeking to engage with other regions where the renewable industry has a strong industrial presence. The aim is to once again urge European institutions to act urgently in defence of employment and our productive fabric.
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS
Kiko Maza, Director of CITE25, highlighted the high calibre of speakers featured in this fourth edition, which is supported by media partners Navarra Capital, Diario de Noticias and Energética. The content partners for the event include AEPIBAL, the Spanish Energy Storage Association; the Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE); and the Association of Renewable Energy Maintenance Companies (AEMER). “We are privileged to host this event in Navarra, as there is no other event at the national level that brings together such a wide range of key players from the European renewable industry—and I would even dare to say, not in Europe either,” he remarked.
Maza also expressed confidence in surpassing the figures achieved during the previous edition of CITE, held in 2023, as forecasts point to more than 400 attendees and over 45 international experts—nearly half of whom are expected to be CEOs from leading companies in the sector. “This is, without a doubt, the most ambitious edition of CITE to date,” the director affirmed. He went on to highlight the strong presence of international experts and confirmed speakers of the highest level, including Arantza Ezpeleta, CEO of Acciona Energía, and Joao Costeira, CEO of Repsol Renovables, “both internationally recognised leaders in renewable energy development,” he noted. He also mentioned José Luis Blanco, CEO of Nordex, “one of Europe’s leading wind turbine manufacturers”; Adolfo Rebollo, CEO of Ingeteam, “a leading manufacturer of power electronics for wind and solar energy”; and Bertrand Lechacheux, CEO of Holosolis, “the company behind one of the new photovoltaic panel gigafactories being developed in France”. In addition, he referred to Hervé Amossé, Executive Vice President of SAFT, “one of Europe’s major battery manufacturers”; and Michael Larsen, CEO of SM Industries, “a Danish manufacturer of metal towers for wind turbines”, among others.
As for the topics, the agenda will revolve around three CEO panels focused on wind energy, the European supply chain, and renewable project development, along with an international expert panel in the morning.
In the afternoon, thematic sessions will address some of the most pressing issues currently facing the sector, including operations and maintenance (O&M), energy storage, grid integration of renewables, and green hydrogen.
THE MOST AMBITIOUS AND INTERNATIONAL EDITION YET
Kiko Maza concluded by noting that the target audience for the event is “highly diverse,” ranging from professionals in the wind, solar, energy storage and hydrogen sectors, to renewable energy project developers.
It is also aimed at professionals involved in circular economy initiatives, the financial sector, policymakers and regulators, academic and R&D institutions, specialised media, influencers and thought leaders. Maza invited all of them to learn more and secure their tickets for CITE25 “at a discounted price until August” via the official congress website: www.congresocite.com
