Bringing together over 100 participants, including experts, industry representatives, public and academic stakeholders, this event provided an opportunity to present the association’s R&D roadmap. This roadmap has been significantly enhanced, as several dozen experts contributed to updating the original 2019 version, which is now structured around eight priority research areas.
The welcome and introduction to the symposium were provided by Georges Kariniotakis, professor at PERSEE – Mines Paris – PSL, who set the scientific framework for the day and emphasized the central role of research and innovation in the evolution of electrical systems.
The opening address, delivered by Godefroy Beauvallet, Director General of Mines Paris – PSL, was particularly inspiring. It placed the symposium within a broader context encompassing the energy transition, budgetary constraints, and the challenges of reindustrialization, while also highlighting that every action counts for the collective success of this transformation and reinforcing Mines Paris – PSL’s commitment to the energy transition.
Gabriel Bareux‘s keynote address then refocused the discussions on the short-, medium-, and long-term challenges facing our electricity system: decarbonization goals, stagnant electricity consumption, and production that no longer always finds buyers during peak demand, echoing in particular RTE’s forecast for 2035.
The sessions dedicated to disruptive technologies were moderated by Pierre Mallet. They began with a presentation of E.DSO’s recently updated technology radar, before addressing a selection of key technologies for the future of energy systems: quantum computing by Christophe Domain, superconductivity by Arnaud Allais, power electronics and direct current networks by Philippe Alibert, and artificial intelligence and generative AI by Pierre Cauchois.
Finally, a roundtable discussion moderated by Nouredine Hadjsaid, President of the Think SmartGrids Scientific Council, addressed the financing and innovation models associated with these emerging technologies. The discussions between startups and operators, notably with uh!ive/Enedis represented by Romain Sambarino and Carlos Montes respectively, and La Javaness/RTE represented by Alexandre Martinelli and Virginie Dordonnat, as well as the participation of public stakeholders such as Bpifrance represented by Sébastien Olinger and APED represented by Philippe Azais, provided a better understanding of the relationships between these players and facilitated the sharing of concrete experiences from successful collaborations.
Many thanks again to the speakers, facilitators, Mines Paris – PSL for hosting us, and all the participants who made this event a resounding success. 👏
