08.00 – 08.50: Registration and Refreshments

08.50 – 09.00: Chair’s Welcome & Introduction

Erikka Askeland, Conference Chair & News Editor, Founder, Mediacraft

09.00 – 09.10: Headline Sponsor Welcome

Ross McKenzie, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer, Drax

09.10 – 09.30: Academic Keynote (content tbc)

Professor John Underhill, Transition and Professor in Geoscience and Energy Transition, University of Aberdeen

09.30 – 09.50: How Shetland Can Lead the Way on a Nordic Model for All of Scotland

Hannah Mary Goodlad MSP, Minister for Public Finance, Scottish Government

09.50 – 10.00: Q&A

Professor John Underhill, Transition and Professor in Geoscience and Energy Transition, University of Aberdeen

Hannah Mary Goodlad MSP, Minister for Public Finance, Scottish Government

10.00 – 10.45: Can Scotland’s Grid Keep Up with Ambition?

Scotland has no shortage of renewable energy ambition, but can the grid keep pace? This session will bring together those responsible for planning, operating and delivering our electricity network to examine what is changing, where the barriers remain and what needs to happen now to unlock investment and accelerate delivery.

Christianna Logan, Director of Customers and Stakeholders, SSEN 

Ross McKenzie, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer, Drax 

Claire Dykta, Director of Policy and Strategy, NESO

Dougie Knox, Strategic Partnership Manager, Energy Skills Partnership 

10.45 – 11.05: Break

11.05 – 11.50: Closing the Skills Gap – Who Is Responsible?

Scotland’s energy ambitions will only be delivered if we have the workforce to match them. With major projects competing for the same skills, this session will examine where the biggest gaps are emerging, who is responsible for closing them, and what industry, government and education need to do differently.

Isla Robb, Director of Supply Chain, Skills & Community, ETZ Ltd

Dr Kenneth Leitch, Principal Investigator, HCI Gateway

11.50 – 11.55: Transition

11.55 – 12:25: Masterclass 1

(Track A)

Hydropower & Pumped Storage:

Scotland has the water, infrastructure, and expertise to lead the next era of hydropower. With major pumped-storage projects progressing, this masterclass will explore how Scotland can turn its natural advantage into long-term energy storage, unlock investment and supply-chain opportunities, and deliver the flexibility our increasingly renewable electricity system needs.

11.55 – 12:25: Masterclass 2

(Track B)

Tidal Energy: 

Scotland is already at the forefront of tidal energy innovation, but can it turn that expertise into a commercial industry? This masterclass will explore what needs to happen next to accelerate deployment, attract investment, strengthen the domestic supply chain, and ensure Scotland captures the economic opportunity from a technology it has helped pioneer.

12.25 – 12.30: Transition

12.30 – 13.00: Masterclass 3

(Track A)

Battery Storage:

As renewable generation grows, Scotland needs the ability to store power and use it when it is most needed. This masterclass will examine the rapidly growing battery storage market, the role it can play in balancing the grid, and what is needed to turn Scotland’s significant project pipeline into operational infrastructure.

12.30 – 13.00: Masterclass 4

(Track B)

Renewable-powered industry data centres (tbc):

AI and data centres are creating unprecedented demand for electricity, but could that demand become an opportunity for Scotland? This masterclass will explore how our renewable resources could help attract the digital industries of the future, while addressing the challenges around grid capacity, energy efficiency, resilience, and the delivery of sustainable economic growth.

13.00 – 14.00: Lunch

14.00 – 14.45: Leadership 1

(Track A)

Revisiting “No New Nuclear” in a Small Modular Reactor Era 

Scotland’s opposition to new nuclear was shaped in a very different energy landscape. With small modular reactors emerging and electricity demand rising, this session will revisit whether that position remains sustainable and examine what Scotland’s nuclear policy could mean for future investment, skilled jobs, energy security, and industrial growth.

Jamie Bannerman, Associate Director, Copper Consultancy 

David Green MSP, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Scottish Parliament 

Prof. Dame Fiona Rayment DBE, Chair of Nuclear Policy and Capability, Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Manchester 

14.00 – 14.45: Leadership 2

(Track B)

Is Scotland’s Energy Mix Still Investable? 

Billions of pounds of energy investment are within Scotland’s reach, but capital has choices. This session will examine where investors see opportunity, what is undermining confidence and whether Scotland is sending a clear enough message to the market to secure the long-term investment needed across its changing energy mix.

Alison Wilson, Managing Director, Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport  
David Whitehouse, Chief Executive Officer, OEUK  

14.45 – 14.50: Transition

14.50 – 15.35: Leadership 3

Is Scotland Maximising Its Renewables Estate? 

Scotland has extraordinary renewable energy resources, but generating more power is only part of the opportunity. This session will ask whether Scotland is extracting maximum economic value from its renewable’s estate, from jobs and supply chains to communities and inward investment, and what needs to change to deliver greater benefit at home.

 Joanne Allday, Head of Strategy and Business Development, Port of Cromarty Firth  

Eddie McAvinchey, Director for Scotland, National Wealth Fund  

14.50 – 15.35: Leadership 4

CCUS: Scotland’s Bridge Technology or a Distraction? 

Scotland has the geology, industrial clusters, and offshore expertise to become a major player in carbon capture and storage, but questions remain about cost, scale, and delivery. This session will examine the case for CCUS, where the opportunity lies and whether it can deliver meaningful decarbonisation alongside economic value for Scotland.

Andy Brooks, Director of New Ventures, North Sea Transition Authority  

Dr Christian Calvillo, Senior Research Fellow, University of Strathclyde

15.35 – 16.00: Break

16.00 – 16.10: Ministerial Keynote (Scotland)

Stephen Gethins MSP, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy, Scottish Government

16.10 – 16.20: Ministerial Keynote (UK) 

Michael Shanks MP, Minister for Energy, UK Government  

16.20 – 16.50: Q&A

16.50: Conference Close