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How the war in Iran has exposed global energy vulnerabilities—and what it means for small, open economies like Ireland

We hear about a clear, structured way to understand step by step where electrification can deliver the highest impact today, and how Europe can effectively prioritise solutions that replace fossil fuels and accelerate electrification.

• Are we prioritising efficiency and direct electrification before alternative fuels?
• Is Ireland’s grid ready to support increased electrification demand?
• What are the key priorities for decarbonising transport?
• How can we ensure the transition is affordable and fair for households and businesses across urban and rural areas?
• How should limited clean electricity be allocated across sectors?
• Ireland's 2030 climate context: How investing in climate action today will future-proof Ireland's energy system
• Are current policies and investment signals strong enough to deliver the transition?

A recent UN report regarded Ireland as a cautionary tale regarding data centre growth . The report warned that Ireland’s energy demand has outpaced its infrastructure, with data processing currently consuming roughly 21% of the country's electricity.

• Could Ireland become instead a model for sustainable, AI-driven infrastructure?
• How can we address the environmental implications of AI expansion – energy demand, water use and sustainability?
• Can Ireland balance rapid data centre growth with energy security, climate targets, and public trust?

We explore how Ireland’s electricity system can evolve—technically, operationally, and commercially—to accommodate rapid growth in renewables (wind, solar, storage) while maintaining reliability and affordability. Do we have the resolve to scale wind in a way that is secure, affordable, and system-ready.

Electrification is reshaping how we live, travel, and power our economies, placing consumers at the heart of this transformation. This session will explore the dynamic opportunities electrification offers for innovation, sustainability, and customer empowerment. From connected homes and electric transport to digital energy platforms and flexible energy systems, we’ll examine how putting customers at the centre can unlock growth, generate value, and help build a cleaner, more resilient future.

• Ireland's new EV charging strategy 2026-2028: What does it mean for the industry and consumers?
• Is the grid ready for mass EV adoption without increasing costs or risking reliability?
• How can smart charging, storage, demand response, and V2G support system stability?
• How should EV rollout align with grid capacity, and who should fund upgrades?
• Are policy, regulation, and planning aligned to enable infrastructure at scale?
• How do we ensure equitable access and build consumer trust across all regions and sectors?

Ireland faces growing pressure on water and wastewater systems—from population growth and housing demand to tightening environmental standards. We explore how Ireland can upgrade ageing infrastructure, meet environmental standards, and support housing and economic growth through smarter investment and system reform. 

• Public transport investment: What improvements in reliability, coverage, and integration are needed to make public transport the default choice?
• Urban design & planning: How can compact city development and better land-use planning reduce travel demand and improve accessibility?
• Equity and inclusion: How do we ensure transport systems are affordable, accessible, and inclusive for all users, including those in outer urban and disadvantaged areas?
• Quality of life benefits: How can cleaner transport reduce congestion, air pollution, and noise while creating healthier, more liveable cities?

• Strategy & Impact: Aligning AI with resilience, sustainability, and infrastructure transformation goals
• Infrastructure Foundations: Modernising legacy systems, data platforms, and edge/cloud capabilities
• Workforce & skills: Closing talent gaps and managing organisational change
• From pilots to system-wide impact: Embedding AI in energy systems, transport networks, and water services to improve efficiency, resilience, and decarbonisation outcomes
• Resilient supply chains: Managing reliance on imported chips, data hardware and critical inputs amid EU digital and industrial policy shifts plus ensuring readiness of technology, vendors, and procurement models

• Innovation & Governance: Scaling high-impact use cases while addressing risk, regulation, and trust

We explore how Ireland can attract long-term private investment to deliver essential energy and transport infrastructure, while balancing public interest, affordability, risk, and national resilience.

• Why Private Capital: Scale of funding needed vs limits of public finance
• Investor Needs: Stable regulation, predictable returns, planning certainty
• Delivery Barriers: Planning delays, grid access, project pipelines
• Financing Models: PPPs, RAB, CfDs, guarantees, blended finance
• Public Interest: Affordability, accountability, long-term control

• Why delivery consistently lags ambition – what can leaders do differently?
• Where do projects stall: consent, capability or courage?
• Are risk and accountability aligned with decision-making power?
• What must change culturally, not just structurally?
• Planning timelines vs national urgency
• Talent, skills and execution capacity
• Public confidence after repeated delays
• Ireland’s National Energy & Climate Plan: What are the biggest challenges?

Our final panel considers how Ireland must rethink its transport, energy, and water infrastructure as an interconnected system to meet climate targets, support population growth, and enable regional development.