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CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

Organising successful and effective conferences and workshops takes a very special combination of skills and personal contacts. These can be used for communications purposes, strategy-building, brain-storming, team-building and a variety of other purposes. Clean Fuels Consulting can organise such sessions for or with clients, and is able to provide expert implementation, including consulting, guidance and leadership at sessions.


Critical Issues Workshop

The Purpose and Goal
The Critical Issues Workshop (CIW) series has been developed by Clean Fuels Consulting to address very specific needs in the marketplace, be they technical, marketing, or political in nature.  The purpose of the CIWs is to gather industry experts and stakeholders for detailed presentations and ample discussion on focused subjects that normally need clarification, additional work, resolution of specific or generic problems, or a combination of all these elements.  The goal of each CIW is to arrive at a common understanding of the various critical issues in each workshop subject category and to create a strategy to address the issues, challenges, and solutions identified during the workshop.  An overarching principle of the CIWs is that, through information and knowledge, opportunities for leadership are created.

The Process
Experts from private sector industry and the public sector (regulators, government, etc.) are invited to make focused presentations on different aspects of each CIW subject being addressed.  These presentations are enhanced by engaging all participants in dialogue that can lead to a common understanding of different opinions and perspectives on the specific topics being presented.  Ample opportunity for discussion is provided and all participants are encouraged to become involved.  Wrap-up sessions of the CIWs normally include the key, expert presenters who return to the podium as panelists in order to identify the common strategy that will, after the workshop is concluded, need to be engaged in order to address the challenges and opportunities identified in during the workshop.

Some CIWs will differ in format depending on the topic being addressed.  For example, political workshops may include smaller number of high level government speakers who, within a limited amount of speaking sessions, can engage directly with the audience regarding very specific issues.   Such CIWs will offer a slightly different type of exposure for the participants as well as the individual speakers who are invited to make presentations.

Networking Opportunity
One of the essential benefits of the Critical Issues Workshops is the opportunity to network and engage with other industry experts, customers, public sector specialists and other stakeholders who are interested in the detailed subjects presented at the CIWs.  A social event normally is included in the workshop so that participants can meet and engage each other on the subjects being addressed.  Additionally, table top exhibition space normally is provided within the workshop venue for equipment and service providers to display information and materials about their specific businesses.  Additionally, sponsorship of the workshops is encouraged so that individual companies can enhance their visibility as the CIW is marketed extensively throughout the international markets and during the workshop itself.  Sponsors logos remain permanently on the websites where the workshop proceedings are made available to participants and, later, open to any internet visitors. 


CNG Cylinders & LNG Tanks: Opportunities, Challenges & Innovations
13-14 April 2016

Belgium, Brussels


This 7th Critical Issues Workshop, CNG Cylinders & LNG Tanks brought together high-level experts and industry stakeholders to address the very specific and challenging issues related to natural gas storage on trucks and ships.  The goal of the workshop, based upon the critical issues identified over two-half-day sessions, was to promote specific actions and strategies relative to NGV fuel systems that will contribute to the steady market growth of NGVs – on land and sea.


Topics included:

  • Current and projected market growth for CNG cylinders and LNG tanks for trucks & ships
  • Latest innovations and opportunities for CNG and LNG storage technologies
  • Gaps and needs for further development and harmonization of standards and regulations that will reduce costs, promote safety and advance innovations of CNG cylinders and LNG tanks for trucks and ships;
  • R&D opportunities to get innovative natural gas storage technologies onto vehicles; 
To see Dr. Seisler's introductory presentation please click here.


NGV & LNG Safety: Perception & Reality

8-9 October 2014
Brussels, Belgium

This 6th Critical Issues Workshop gathered experts  NGV stakeholders including equipment manufacturers and  suppliers, government policy makers, regulators and others from 16 countries on four continentswho are interested or involved in safety aspects of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles and fuelling stations for road, marine and rail transport.  

The opening presentation by Dr. Seisler, Links and Gaps in the NGV Safety Chain: An Overview of NGV Safety Perceptions and Reality can be downloaded here.
The results paper of the workshop, Findings and Conclusions can be downloaded by clicking here.


The fifth Critical Issues Workshop

Poli-techs: Creating a Standards and Regulatory Roadmap for Gaseous Fuel Vehicles
26-27 March 2013
Le Chatelain Hotel
Brussels, Belgium

   

This workshop is designed to gather expert speakers to address a knowledgeable audience of gaseous fuel stakeholders (natural gas and LPG),  from equipment manufacturers and suppliers, government policy makers, regulators and others who are interested or involved in developing and sustaining the markets for natural gas and LPG vehicles. 

     The goal is to leave the workshop with a firm idea of the key standards and regulatory issues facing the gaseous fuel vehicle industry entrepreneurs and government regulators. This includes: the current regulatory state-of-play; the existing gaps; and the immediate pathway to fill the gaps, thereby facilitating market development of natural gas and LPG vehicles as clean alternatives to petrol and diesel.  A small table top exhibition accompanies the workshop. Please note that, as with other Critical Issues Workshop, a final, strategic position paper will be produced that summarizes the issues, discussion and provides recommendations for further action.  The workshop provides an excellent opportunity to interact and network with leading figures in the industry and government.
Details will appear very soon.


The fourth Critical Issues Workshop
Chickens and Eggs: Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies Building the NGV Infrastructure
7-8 December 2011
Le Chatelain Hotel
Brussels, Belgium

    The natural gas vehicle (NGV) market is the fastest growing amongst all the alternative fuels yet in many countries the ‘chicken and egg’ still persists: no fuel, no vehicles.

  

     The purpose of this ‘Critical Issues Workshop’ is to identify, discuss and understand what can be done and is being accomplished to speed the development of the NGV fuelling infrastructure. The workshop will bring together a wide range of stakeholders from the natural gas vehicle industry sectors – fossil and renewable methane, compressed and liquefied -- to discuss the challenges, successes, and strategies of establishing national and regional NGV fuelling networks.

  

     NGV customers, compressor station entrepreneurs, CNG cylinder manufacturers as well as leading transportation and energy policy makers from the European Commission will provide the important dynamic element to the workshop to help understand what best practices, policies and conditions are best to foster the breaking of the chicken and egg syndrome for NGVs.

  

    The outcome of the workshop will be a fuelling station strategy paper, based upon what is presented and discussed in the sessions, highlighting the strategic options that address the growth of the NGV  infrastructures, to help make it happen sooner than later.  The workshop results also will provide input to related NGV studies currently being done by the International Gas Union, the United Nations Working Party on Gas, and the European Business Congress. 
  

  • National Business Models & Strategies
  • Cost Reduction Strategies
  • Alternative Infrastructure Strategies: Mobile fuelling; L-CNG; BioMethane & CH4-H2 blends;
  • Final Discussion & Conclusions: Pathways to Growth & Sustainability

 Visit www.ChickensandEggs.eu for the program and registration information.

 


 The third Critical Issues Workshop was:
Dual-fuel Gaseous/Diesel Engines: Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies to Build the Market

30th & 31st March 2010
Brussels, Belgium

The Clean Fuels Consulting Critical Issues Workshop Dual-fuel Gaseous/Diesel Engines: Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies to Build the Market gathered 75 gaseous fuel stakeholders – system designers and suppliers, OEMs, the European Commission, national government representatives, emissions experts and others -- to evaluate the technical, economic, marketing and regulatory trends related to gaseous/diesel engines.  The intention was to identify the opportunities and challenges in bringing these technologies to the market and to help foster the development of a regulatory framework that allows for the certification of dual-fuel gaseous engine systems be they for original equipment manufactured (OEM) or retrofit applications.    

 

The full program can be downloaded here.


The results of the workshop, the Strategic Roadmap to Market Development of Certified Heavy Duty Gaseous Fuel (methane/LPG)-Diesel Engines can be downloaded here.

The mind map from the final session can be downloaded here.

The second Critical Issues Workshop was:
LNG is HOT: Opportunities, Challenges  & Strategies as a Vehicle Fuel
3-4 December 2009
Brussels


LNG is HOT: Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies as a Vehicle Fuel presented an opportunity to identify and explore the most important technology and marketing issues for liquefied natural gas vehicles (L-NGVs) and renewable liquefied biogas (so-called LBG).  Sixty-six world-wide experts from 18 countries and four continenents discussed the broad LNG markets and experiences in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America.  L-NGV technology – retrofit systems and factory-built products – were presented. Technologies and strategies for LNG (and liquefied-to-compressed – L-CNG) fuelling and LBG production also were explored.  The development and harmonization of L-NGV standards, regulations and safety received focused attention as a key building block to the industry achieving worldwide sustainability. 

The Purpose of the Workshop

The goal, after two, half days of presentations and discussion was to leave the workshop with a firm idea of the key issues facing the industry and what next steps and strategies are required by the industry to advance the sustainable growth for LNG and LBG in over-the-road and non-road vehicle transportation and fuelling technologies.  This applies to LNG and liquefied bio-gas (LBG).

The full program can be downloaded here.

The mind map diagram used in the discussion in the last panel can be downloaded here.

The results of the workshop, the Critical Issues Strategic Plan can be downloaded here
.

For people who did not attend it is possible to buy the proceedings from the International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles website
www.iangv.org.



The first Critical Issues Workshop was:

CNG and Hydrogen Cylinders: Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies
held on the 11-12 March 2008 in Brussels


The Purpose & Goal of this Critical Issues Workshop:

The reliability and safety of high-pressure gaseous fuel storage systems is an integral part of the success and sustainability of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) and hydrogen vehicles (H2Vs), whether they will be powered by internal combustion engines or fuel cells.  As the market for these vehicles expands globally, the need to maintain and enforce quality control of cylinders and the associated technology systems (valves, relief devices, etc.) is critical.  Inevitable incidents that occur due to system failures must be handled with scientific integrity so manufacturers and consumers can learn from these experiences in order to improve safety and reliability into the future. CNG & H2 Cylinders; Challenges, Opportunities & Strategies was designed to bring together high-level experts and industry stakeholders to address the very specific and challenging issues facing CNG and hydrogen fuel storage systems.  Based upon the critical issues identified over two-half-day sessions, the outcome advanced specific actions and strategies required in the near-and-longer-term future.

The full programme can be downloaded here.

The opening presentation, by Jeffrey Seisler, which provides an over view of the issues that were discussed can be downloaded here.

Download: Brief Overview: Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies

The final session of the workshop was an interactive debate between the audience and a panel of experts from cylinder manufacturers and CNG and hydrogen industries. A copy of a Mind Map that was used to group and identify issues can be downloaded here.

Mind Map, Session 5 Panel Discussion

 

A summary of the Final Results of the workshop can be downloaded here. (8.09 mb)

For people who did not attend it is possible to buy the proceedings from the International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles website www.iangv.org

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