I have already written about how well the IBM Start event started out – well I wanted to dive a little deeper into one of the days in particular – the Smarter Energy for a Sustainable future day. Why? For me, it was by far the best day of the event.

Why do I say that? A number of reasons –

1. The speaker list was stellar with senior representation from EDF, BP, E.ON UK, British Gas, Water UK, OFGEM, Carbon Trust, Shell, B&Q, National Grid, Central Networks, WWF, Stagecoach, Power Perfector amongst others, as well as representatives from NGO’s, academia and research organisations.
2. The delegate list was spectacular as well and consequently the networking on the day was through the roof and
3. There was far more audience participation solicited than on any of the other days I attended Start

The discussions themselves were fantastic but there were far too many of them happening in parallel – I mean how do you decide between:

• Building the new Energy System
• Driven by Demand – Managing the New Infrastructure or
• New Business Models for Energy in New Economies

I wanted to attend all of them!

A real surprise for me was the speech by Charles Hendry…