REGA ENERGY in COP29 Panel Discussion

At the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, João Rosa Santos, Head of Commercial at REGA ENERGY, participated in a high-level panel discussion at the Portuguese Pavilion. The session, titled “Turning Iberia into Europe’s Cleantech Industrial Hub,” explored the way forward for the Iberian Peninsula to spearhead Europe’s green reindustrialization.

The panel discussion underscored the unique position of Portugal and Spain in driving this transformation and highlighted the Iberian Peninsula’s key strengths, including its abundant clean electricity and the emerging availability of renewable gases. João Rosa Santos emphasized the opportunity to create a “Made in Portugal, Made Sustainable” industrial ecosystem but noted significant obstacles, such as the need for enhanced regulatory frameworks, increased access to financing, and policies that encourage innovation and drive demand for clean energy, particularly in hard-to-abate industrial sectors.

The session was hosted by Cleantech for Iberia and moderated by its director, Bianca Dragomir. The discussion brought together key figures in the European cleantech space, including Maria da Graça Carvalho, Portuguese Minister for Environment and Energy; Jean-Christophe Laloux, Director General for Operations at the European Investment Bank (EIB); Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General at the European Commission (DG ENERGY); and Alberto Toril Castro, Europe Power Sector Manager at Breakthrough Energy.

REGA ENERGY reiterated its commitment to supporting energy-intensive industries on their decarbonization journey. “We are proud to be part of a movement that fosters meaningful, positive change in Europe’s economy,” said João Rosa Santos. This panel represented a significant step forward in advancing a sustainable industrial transformation in Europe, reinforcing the Iberian Peninsula’s leadership in green innovation.