Program 2026

In addition to high-level keynote presentations and expert sessions, the conference offers excellent opportunities for networking throughout the event, including networking breaks, side events, the exhibition area and the evening program at Kehruuhuone.

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FUTURE ENERGY SOLUTIONS 2026
Energy Meets Industry

TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER

10.00 – 12.00 Registration, Coffee and Networking

Coffee will be served in the City Theatre lobby, where you can also explore the exhibition area.

10.00 – 12.00 Lunch

Lunch is at your own expense and can be enjoyed at one of the many nearby restaurants in the city centre.


12.00 – 13.45 WELCOME SESSION – THE ENERGY SYSTEM IS BUILT TOGETHER

  • Moderator: Johannes Malkamäki

  • Greetings from the City of Lappeenranta,
    Sanna Koskenranta, Chair of the City Board

  • Keynote
    Clean Investments – What, Where, Who, How Much, When?
    Timo Ritonummi, The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, TEM

  • Keynote
    The Big Picture: Energy Transition as a System-Level Transformation
    Jukka Ruusunen, LUT University

  • Panel Discussion
    From Strategy to Practice: Developing PtX Ecosystems and Hydrogen Valleys
    Moderator Eeva Lähdesmäki, LUT University

  • Energy Communities in Practice: Connecting EU Policy with Regional Action
    Xavier Cipriano, Beedata Analytics / CIMNE

13.45 – 14.45 Coffee and Networking

14.45 – 16.30 ENERGY = SECURITY

  • Moderator: Johannes Malkamäki

  • From Crisis to Resilience: What Ukraine Teaches Europe About Secure and Flexible Energy Systems for the Green Transition (TBC)
    Mykhailo Vydoinyk, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Finland

  • From Dependency to Resilience: Nordic Pathways to Energy Independence
    Lasse Bergerud-Wichstrøm, Freija

  • From Piloting to Commercial-Scale: Carbon Capture in Forest Industry
    Minna Mentzer, Metsä Group

  • Boundary Conditions for CO2 Value Chains: From Emissions to a Resource
    Joonas Mustonen, LAB University of Applied Sciences

  • Panel Discussion
    Building Secure and Resilient Energy Futures: Science Meets Industry
    Moderator: Kateryna Kryzhanivska, LUT University
    Panelists:
    Ghazanfar Abdullah, LUT University
    Giovani Foppiani, LUT University
    Niilo Hendolin, Elstor
    Industry representative — to be confirmed

19 – 21 Networking Event at Kehruuhuone
Location: Kehruuhuone, Kristiinankatu 20, 53900 Lappeenranta

WEDNESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER

8.30 – 9.00 Coffee and Networking

9.00 – 10.30 POWERING TOMORROW – INVEST IN CLEAN ENERGY

  • Moderator: Johannes Malkamäki

  • The Power of We: Unlocking Growth Through Strategic Collaboration
    Sari Kola, Merinova

  • Achieving Net Zero at Regional Scale: Lessons from Sønderborg
    Allan Pilgaard Jensen, Project Zero

  • Technology as an Enabler: Electrification Driving Decarbonisation
    Teemu Heikkilä, Danfoss Editron

  • Clean Energy from Canada
    Patrick Hébert, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Republic of Finland

10.30 – 11.00 Coffee and Networking

11.00 – 12.30 BUILDING A NEW ENERGY BACKBONE

  • Moderator: Johannes Malkamäki

  • Who Benefits from Data Centers?
    Lauri Ikonen, Finnish Data Center Association FDCA, Polarnode

  • Case Example: Google’s excess heat heating Hamina, a small Finnish city
    Kalevi Mattila, Haminan Energia

  • Nuclear District Heating – from Paper to Pilot
    Kristjan Mihhels, Steady Energy

  • Public Acceptance of Major Societal Transitions: Reflections from LUT Research and the City of Lappeenranta (TBC)
    Speaker (TBC), LUT University & Ilkka Räsänen, City of Lappeenranta


12:30 – 15:00 Biotalousverkosto 2030 – Itäisen Suomen kasvun tekijät
Invitation-only event (in Finnish)
Venue: Sokos Hotel Lappee, Linnoitus Cabinet, Brahenkatu 1, FI-53100 Lappeenranta, Finland