International Conference “Hydrogen technology opportunities for sustainable development of cities”
On 20th March, 2013 Riga Energy Agency in cooperation with HyER (the European Association for Hydrogen and fuel cells and Electro-mobility in European Regions) and Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia for the first time in Latvia organized an international conference about innovative hydrogen technologies “Hydrogen technology opportunities for sustainable development of cities”. The conference target audience was Latvian scientists, students, representatives of public administration institutions, banks, businesses, municipalities leaders, mass media and citizens interested in the conference topic.
So far in Latvia only scientists have been active in researching hydrogen technologies, especially Institute of Solid State Physics and Physical Energy Institute, there has been an interest in students' environment, scientists have been setting the interesting scientific conferences and seminars, but we have so far missed an open conversation with the public about this innovative subject, that enters in the European energy policies and sustainable energy measures in the cities. Across countries in Europe we may find buses and taxis powered by hydrogen, and power and energy production facilities. But it seems that the time has come for Latvia to join the work for sustainable energy, promoting innovative hydrogen technologies in urban areas. Especially because the Riga Energy Agency in the international project "Strategies Towards Energy Performance in Urban Planning (STEP-UP)" in conjunction with the scientists, experts and Glasgow (UK), Ghent (Belgium) and Gothenburg (Sweden) municipalities are working on our cities Sustainable Energy Action Plans up to 2020, adjusting there innovative technologies and integrating ICT measures to move our cities to the status of Smart city.
http://www.rea.riga.lv/files/Programma_konferencei_20_03_2013.pdf