A day at the 2025 All-Energy Conference & Exhibition
All-Energy is the UK’s largest low-carbon energy and renewables event, bringing together expertise, innovation, and cutting-edge technology through insightful seminars, engaging talks, and a vast exhibition space.
The event serves as a vital platform for suppliers of renewable and low-carbon energy solutions to connect with policymakers, developers, investors, and industry professionals from around the world—fuelling collaboration and progress towards the net zero goal. Heather Ross, a Workstream Contributor on our Climate Change & Journey to Net Zero workstream, attended the 2025 All-Energy Conference & Exhibition held in the SEC in Glasgow on the 13th May 2025, and has shared her experience below.
Morning Arrival & Opening Plenary
The day kicked off with an early train ride from a village in Central Scotland to Glasgow Central—objectively one of the loveliest train stations in Scotland (in my admittedly biased opinion). Upon arriving at the SEC, the sheer scale of the event was immediately striking, with this year’s attendance set to break records at over 11,000 delegates from across the globe.
The Opening Plenary Session, running from 9:00–10:30 AM, set the stage with the theme Britain’s Clean Power Mission. The overarching message? Collaboration is absolutely crucial to achieving the new Clean Power 2030 targets. Chaired by Keith Anderson, CEO of Scottish Power and 2025 Business Leader of the Year, the session began with a civic welcome from the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Jacqueline McLaren. Political perspectives were delivered by Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, and UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks, offering insights into both governments' current actions and future plans. A dynamic expert panel rounded off the session, featuring voices from academia, business, and government, including Professor Juergen Maier CBE, FRS, FREng (Chair of Great British Energy), Andrew Lever (Director of Energy Transition, The Carbon Trust), Councillor Susan Aitken (Leader of Glasgow City Council), and Adrian Gillespie (CEO of Scottish Enterprise). While the challenges ahead—such as the need for a cultural mindset shift—were acknowledged, the conversation remained optimistic. Topics spanned investment risks in emerging technologies (like floating offshore wind and tidal energy), the importance of prioritizing social and local value for a Just Transition, the need to upgrade our energy infrastructure, and leveraging existing expertise to accelerate innovation. It was a powerful start to the day, reinforcing both the hurdles we face and the opportunities within reach.
Diving into Seminars & Debates
After the plenary, it was time to navigate a packed schedule. The event was structured into two key areas: a massive exhibition hall filled with hundreds of industry exhibitors and a series of seminars tackling everything from bioenergy to floating wind technology. With three seminar sessions and a combined 34 talks throughout the day, making choices wasn’t easy!
11:00–12:30 PM | Grid and Networks: Helping or Hindering?
The first session I attended tackled the ever-crucial topic of grid infrastructure, hosted by Professor Keith Bell, ScottishPower Chair in Smart Grids at the University of Strathclyde. The discussion revolved around two opposing narratives: 1) We have the infrastructure and investment appetite needed for growth, and 2) The pipeline is blocked, investment is sluggish, and existing infrastructure lacks resilience amid rising demand. The debate was lively, featuring representatives from SSEN Transmission, SP Networks, and government bodies. Hot topics included zonal pricing (a particularly divisive issue), investment needs for Clean Power 2030, and aligning transmission and distribution strategies for maximum impact.
2:00–3:30 PM | Industrial Decarbonisation: Global Lessons & Local Action
This session was an absolute highlight for me. We explored cutting-edge decarbonisation initiatives like carbon capture storage and green hydrogen, drawing on examples from Norway and France. Hearing directly from those leading projects like the Northern Endurance Partnership and HyNet was invaluable—giving real-world insight into how international efforts are shaping up against increasingly ambitious targets.
Closing the Day with Exhibits & Quick-Fire Talks
By 4:00 PM, crowds had thinned, offering a perfect opportunity to wander through the exhibition hall. I listened in on a few short Show Floor Theatre talks (of which there were 88 in total), most specifically one on Navigating REMA: Balancing Market Reform with Clean Power 2030. This final session tied together themes from earlier discussions—particularly the debate on zonal pricing and whether its implementation would help or hinder the Clean Power 2030 targets.
The 2025 All-Energy Conference & Exhibition was a fascinating and energising experience—full of insight, debate, and real momentum toward tackling the net zero challenge. While the road ahead is complex, events like these remind us of the expertise, innovation, and sheer determination propelling us forward. Would I go again? In a heartbeat – next year’s conference is already in the diary!