Monday 14.10.2024

08:15 - 09:00 - Registration and Coffee/Networking

09:00 - 10:15 - Conference Opening, keynote speeches and panel discussions in auditorium

• Opening Address by Organizers - Arctic Portal and ACEP/UAF
• Opening keynote speech by elected official
• Opening plenary discussion by keynote speakers and invited guests

10:15 - 10:45 - Bio Break - Networking - Coffee

10:45 - 12:15 - Concurrent break-out sessions slot #1

Session Track 1: Data collection, presentation interpretation and sharing:

This session will enhance understanding on the importance Arctic energy data sets and their prospects. Learn about how Arctic regions can get better usage of the available data or find out where more or new data is needed for energy development.

Panelists / Presenters:

• Speaker/Presenter: Halldór Jóhannsson, Arctic Portal
• Speaker/Presenter: Dr. Vanessa Raymond, Concordia University/ACEP
• Speaker/Presenter: Dr. Diane Hirshberg, Director University of Alaska Anchorage

Session Track 2: Sharing Solutions to Shared Challenges: Potentials for Icelandic-Alaskan Partnership.

Organizer: Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network - IACN

While the Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet, it also offers potential for solving energy and climate challenges. Arctic communities are developing solutions that can benefit other remote areas. This session will explore how cooperation between regions like Alaska and Iceland can advance clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate adaptation, guiding renewable energy projects through shared knowledge and community engagement

• Aaron Cooke, NREL
• Bruno Grunau, NREL
• Jeremy Kasper, ACEP
• Bjarni Pálsson, Landsvirkjun
• Dr. Ottó Elíasson, Eimur
• Guðmundur Sigurðsson, Vistorka
• Finnur Beck, Samorka

12:15 - 13:00 - Lunch, provided in Hof Conference Center

13:00 - 14:30 - Arctic Energy Futures: Strategic Approaches for a Sustainable Arctic Tomorrow.

In a rapidly evolving Arctic, the energy landscape presents both significant challenges and unprecedented opportunities. This plenary roundtable gathers visionary leaders from across the region to explore how Arctic nations navigate this complex terrain of energy futures. The discussion will focus on benefiting communities through local resource development, technological innovation, forward-thinking policies, and securing financing in an environment with high costs and limited economies of scale.

Plenary session held in auditorium

Panelists:  Energy leaders from across the Arctic region

14:30 - 16:00 - Three concurrent break-out sessions #2

Track 1: Carbon Capture and Sequestration: Are Arctic regions leading the way? This session will explore how Arctic regions are advancing carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies and their role in global climate change mitigation. We will discuss the opportunities and challenges of implementing CCS in the Arctic, highlighting innovative projects and the potential for these regions to lead in sustainable carbon management

Moderator and remarks on CCS in global perspective: Sveinborg Hlíf Gunnarsdóttir, Director ISOR

Panelists/Presenters:

• Gwen Holdmann, UAF/ACEP
• Hallgrímur Óskarsson, Carbon Iceland
• Kristinn Ingi Lárusson, CarbFix
• Katrín Ragnarsdóttir, COWI

Track 2: Powering the Future: Arctic Applications for Emerging Energy Technologies. This breakout session will explore a range of emerging energy technologies with potential applications in the Arctic. Join us to discuss how these innovations can address the region's unique challenges and drive future sustainable energy development.

This breakout session will explore a range of emerging energy technologies with potential applications in the Arctic. Join us to discuss how these innovations can address the region's unique challenges and drive future sustainable energy development.

Panelists/Presenters

• Jeremy Kasper, ACEP – Ocean and River Energy
• María Kristín Þrastardóttir & Óskar Svavarsson – Sidewind
• Dr. Jill Lauren Hass – Polar Knowledge Canada/Savoir Polaire Canada

Track 3: Hydrogen: Reality or Fiction. Hydrogen has been touted as the clean, green fuel of the future, but its implementation has seen mixed results. In the Arctic, however, some of the most successful hydrogen projects are taking shape. This session will explore these successes and discuss how lessons from the Arctic can inform broader hydrogen strategies.

Moderator: Erin Whitney

Panelists/Presenters:

• Ole Aune Ødegård, Nordic Energy Research - Hydrogen Valleys: Opportunities in the Arctic
• James Stevens, Tribal Administrator, Atka tribe - Atka Hydrogen fuel production
• Jack Davis, Lawrance Livermore National Laboratory

16:00 - 16:30 - Bio Break - Networking - Coffee Break

16:30 - 18:00 - Two concurrent break-out sessions #3

Track 1: Innovations and Strategies in Energy Development: Join us to explore cutting-edge case studies and approaches in energy development from across the Arctic. Researchers and practitioners will share insights on the latest innovations and strategies driving sustainable energy solutions in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

Panelists/Presenters:

• Ditte Stougaard Stiler, Nordic Energy Research - Explore the chill: Building a sustainable energy future
• Emily He, Pembina Institute - Clean energy process in Canada's remote and Indigenous communities
• Tim Kalke, USsak, General manager at SEGA Alaska
• Dr. Cary Bloyd, Pacific North-West National Laboratory - Clean energy lessons from islanded grids

Track 2: Energy transitions pathways: This session will focus on different energy transition pathways for remote communities, including economic, technical, and political aspects. Researchers and key stakeholders will highlight various examples of energy transition in remote communities, ranging from a circumpolar level to community-based cases such as Longyearbyen

Panelist/Presenter:

• Magnus de Witt, ACEP/UAF – Energy transitions pathways
• Dr. Mari Juel, SINTEF - sustainable energy technology
• Albert Alonso Villar, Reykjavík University - A transition towards a 100% electric Heavy-Duty Vehicle fleet in Iceland: Feasibility and impact assessment of the charging load on the transmission and distribution system
• Þorsteinn Másson, Blámi

18:00 - 18:10 - Bio break – Get to busses for excursion

18:10 - 20:00 - Excursion around Akureyri by bus

20:00 - 22:00 - Gala dinner at conference facilities

Tuesday 15.10.2024

08:15 - 09:00 - Coffee and Networking

09:00 - 10:45 - Panel discussions in the auditorium

Powering the Arctic: Inspirational Ideas from the Next Generation of Energy Leaders

• Speaker 1: Jóhanna Audunsdóttir, Landsvirkjun
• Speaker 2: Dr. Vanessa Raymond, University of Concordia / ACEP

Iceland’s recipe for success: Join us to hear stories from Iceland’s leaders within the energy sector, discuss why Iceland has been so successful in terms of energy development and where the nation is heading in the near future.

Panelists/Presenters: Stakeholders and leaders in the Icelandic energy sector

10:45 - 11:15 - Bio Break - Networking Break - Coffee

11:15 - 12:45 - Concurrent break-out sessions slot #4

Track 1: Training Arctic Energy Leaders: Human capacity is one of the Arctic’s greatest resources. This session will explore how building local expertise and fostering knowledge-sharing networks across the Arctic are essential for sustainable energy development. Join us for a conversation to explore diverse approaches to training the current and next generation of Arctic energy leaders.

Panelists/Presenters:

• Anna Martz, US Department of State - The US perspective on international collaboration in Arctic energy
• Annalise Klein, UAF/ACEP – ARENA and ELA
• Dr. Elaina Guilmette, USask - Masters of Energy Security program
• Málfríður Ómarsdóttir, GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme  Iceland
• Juliet Ann Newson, Iceland School of Energy

Track 2: Resilient Infrastructure: Adapting Buildings to Extreme Arctic Conditions. This session focuses on the challenges of building and infrastructure in the Arctic, where extreme weather conditions demand innovative solutions. We will discuss strategies for designing resilient infrastructure that can withstand harsh environments, with a focus on safety, durability, and comfort.

Panelists/Presenters:

• Dr. Alexander Zhivov - Energy resilience of buildings in remote cold regions
• Dominique Pride UAF/ACEP - Electrifying heating loads using renewables at scale
• Prof. Eva Möller, DTU
• Dr. Taro Mori, Hokkaido University - Energy crisis events in north most island Hokkaido, Japan

Track 3: The New Frontier of Geothermal Energy - While geothermal energy has long been considered a mature technology, recent innovations are pushing its boundaries. Iceland is leading the way in ultra-high-temperature geothermal, while new developments in lower-temperature systems are making geothermal more accessible across a wider geographic area, particularly for heating. Join us to explore these exciting advances and their potential to reshape energy landscapes globally.

Panelists/Presenters:

• Björn Guðmundsson, Krafla Magma Testbed CEO - Establishing the World's First Magma Observatory

12:45 - 13:30 - Lunch, provided in Hof Conference Center

13:30 - 15:00 - Panel discussions in the auditorium

Voices from the Arctic: Building Resilient Cities for the Future. This panel brings together mayors from cities across the Arctic, offering a unique opportunity to hear directly from local leaders who are at the forefront of addressing the region's most pressing challenges. These city leaders will share insights on how they are navigating issues such as energy sustainability, climate adaptation, and economic development within their communities. This discussion will highlight diverse perspectives and innovative approaches that are shaping the future of Arctic cities, ensuring they remain resilient and vibrant in the face of rapid change.

Round table discussions

Panelists/Presenters: Discussions with municipality leaders across the Arctic.

15:00 - 15:30 - Bio Break - Networking - Coffee

15:30 - 17:00 - Panel discussions in auditorium

The Way to the Future

A panel of leaders from the Arctic

17:00 - 17:30 - Auditorium

Closing session - Conference Wrap up and closing remarks

17:30 - Reception at Hof Conference Center

Wednesday 16.10.2024

08:15 - 09:00 - Coffee and Networking

09:00 - 12:00 - US-Iceland Energy and Climate Expert Introductory Meeting”, Organized by U.S. Department of Energy and Iceland's Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate -Invite Only.

Transfer to Reykjavík for those attending the Arctic Circle.

Option 1: Travel by air. Transfer to airport: departure times 12:20, 16:45, 19:45

Option 2: Educational and scenic transfer by bus to Reykjavík. Depart at 09:00, arrive in Reykjavík around 19:30:

09:00 - 11:00 - Drive to Blönduvirkjun

11:00 - 13:00 - Excursion of the hydro station and lunch

13:00 - 15:30 - Drive to Deildartunguhver

15:30 - 16:30 - Excursion and health stop at Deildartunguhver and Krauma Spa

16:30 - 17:00 - Drive to Grundartangi

17:00 - 18:30 - Excursion of either factory and health stop

18:30 - 19:30 - Drive to Reykjavík downtown for hotel check-in