Taming the language of innovation

How to make the Polish energy sector more innovative? The debate on the issue ended the Poznań meeting of professionals in the energy sector - Energi@21. It was preceded with six discussion panels devoted to branding, consumers and changes in the energy market.

As noticed by the vice-president of Enea, Grzegorz Kinelski, electricity as such is not very interesting as a product. - The multi-utility philosophy is decorating it with additional benefits for customers and with a modern brand - he said. An outstanding specialist in the field, Fridrik Larsen from Island, focused on the energy branding. In his opinion, a brand is what helps customers in assessing the product quality and build relevant relations with its producer or service provider.

Very popular were panels devoted to I-utility and energy companies based on coal. One of the questions was what might be a contemporary model of energy regulation and operations of an energy company. According to the Chairman of the Programme Board of the Congress, Mariusz Swora, it is social and economic, and not technological, factors that play a key role as regards the future of the energy sector. - We should think in the consumers' categories and they are the most important, and we should perceive the future comprehensively - explained Mr Swora. How to check what is really needed by consumers? According to Mark Jamison of the University of Florida, customers need to be asked not what they want, since they want low prices, but what irritates them.

The Congress was summed up during the debate conducted by the rector of the Poznań University of Economics. It was attended also by representatives of three Universities of Technology - Wrocław, Warsaw and Opole, and representatives of energy companies - Enea, Tauron and PGE. It was reminded that innovation is a state of mind and a creative readiness for changes. - Both energy companies and universities must adjust to the system in which the innovation funnel and commercialisation function - explained Paweł Orlof, vice-president of Enea. In his opinion neither energy companies nor universities are prepared for innovation.

The second day was the last one in the Congress's agenda. - Those who were not present should regret - WysokieNapiecie.pl service summed up on Twitter - the Congress began very well, later it was great, and in the end impressing. We tamed the language of innovation - added Mariusz Swora.

Over 40 experts from Poland and abroad came to Poznań, thanks to whom the Congress touched very current problems, and participants emphasised that discussions were inspiration for them. Thanking for the meeting, its host, president of Enea, Krysztof Zamasz expressed hope that the second edition of the Congress would be held next year.

Updated information on Energi@21 Congress may be found on energy21.pl, Twitter @Energy21Poznan and Facebook - Kongres Energia21 profile.