The Future of Energy
Registration
Registration is now open! The event is free of charge, but registration is required. Reserve your spot today!
Frontiers of Energy: Sustainability and Digitalization, Research and Innovation
Welcome to the next The Future of Energy conference on January 14, 2026!
Join researchers, startups, industry leaders, public-sector stakeholders, and decision-makers in exploring how the green and digital transformation can work together to deliver tomorrow’s energy solutions.
With the theme “Frontiers of Energy” we highlight the research and innovations reshaping energy systems. It’s where experts and practitioners turn knowledge into action to build a more efficient, digitalized, and climate-friendly energy future.
The conference is held as an Oslo Science City Arena event in collaboration with leading knowledge and business partners. The University of Oslo is the organizer together with SINTEF, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), Oslo kommune, Handelsh?yskolen BI and Oslo Science city.
The Future of Energy isn’t just a conference — it’s a meeting place for the energy ecosystem of the future.
Meet some of our speakers
January 14, 2026: The Future of Energy is Green and Digital
09:00-10:45 Opening session: The Green and Digital Energy Transition
In this session we take stock of the energy transition in Norway and Europe. We also hear more about the government’s visions for the role of digitalization in the green and digital transition.
Welcome and opening:
- Bj?rn Jamtveit, Pro-Rector, University of Oslo
- Hallstein Bjerke, Vice Mayor for?Finance
- Karianne Tung, Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance
We will dive into the new AI centre TRUST – the Norwegian Centre for Trustworthy AI. First we will get short introductory talks by:
- Morten D?hlen,?Professor, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, "Trustworthy AI and the Energy Transition"
- Patrick Blomquist,?Senior Advisor Data Science, Equinor
Then a panel conversation moderated by Ruth Astrid S?ter, with:
- Karianne Tung, Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance
- Morten D?hlen,?Professor, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, "Trustworthy AI and the Energy Transition"
- Patrick Blomquist,?Senior Advisor Data Science, Equinor
Keynote TBC.
The opening session is moderated by Ruth Astrid S?ter.
10:45-11:15 Break
11:15–12:30 Session 1: The Global Race for Energy Security and Resources
In this session we take a holistic view of supply security and value chains. How does geopolitics influence the energy transition, and what do the EU’s priorities — security, democracy, and competitiveness — mean in practice? Do we already have solutions to global challenges related to energy security and resources? It is time to rethink energy security.
Chair: Lars Huemer, Professor, Norwegian Business School (BI)
Introductory presentation by:
- Miranda Schreurs, Professor, Technical University of Munich
Presentations highlighting solutions to global challenges related to energy security and resources, with:
- Josefine Selj, Principal scientist, IFE
- Ole Reistad, Senior Principal Researcher at DNV and Associate professor at UiO
- Lars Huemer, Professor, Norwegian Business School (BI), “From Competition to Cooperation: Rethinking Energy Security in the Global Resource Race”
12:30-13:15 Lunch break
13:15-14:55 Session 2: From Lab to Market – Scaling Innovation and Building Capacity
How can we move from promising research to solutions at scale? This session follows the journey from idea to impact and looks at what it really takes to bring research-based innovations into the market.
We start with cases that show how new technologies are developed, tested, and prepared for deployment. We then turn to energetic pitches from start-ups working on concrete solutions, before closing with a moderated conversation on lessons learned from scaling innovation.
Chair: Tine Uberg N?rland, Research Director, IFE
Introductory presentation by:
- Tuukka M?kitie, Research Scientist, Sintef Digital
Presentations from:
- ?yvind Blaker, Senior Specialist, NGI, "ProWind - Advancing multi-scale physical modelling and bespoke monitoring for offshore wind foundations"
- Atle Jensen, Professor, UiO
Pitches from:
- Trygve Mongstad, CEO, Over Easy
- Amalie Melsom, Head of Investor Relations & Strategy, Hystar
- Martin Kirkengen, CTO, Cenate
14:55-15:25 Short break
15:25-16:30 Session 3: Local cutting-edge solutions for the future city
Cities play a crucial role for reaching our climate neutrality goals for 2050. While technological innovation is important, it is the integration of governance, planning, digital tools, and social engagement that can lead to meaningful progress. In this session we will hear from projects that combine infrastructure, behaviour, and governance, showcasing deployable city-level solutions for grids, buildings and the future city.
Chair: Hicham Johra, Research Scientist, Sintef Community
Presentations from:
- Sabita Maharjan, Professor, UiO
- Kamilla Heimar Andersen, Research Scientist, Sintef Community
16:30-17:00 Closing session with keynote
Announcement of the winner of the poster competition
- With Vebj?rn Bakken, Director, UiO:Energy and environment?
Closing keynote by Benjamin Sovacool,?Director of the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) and Professor in the Department of Earth & Environment.
The closing session is moderated by Ruth Astrid S?ter.
Register for poster competition
Create. Present. Win!
As part of?The Future of Energy?conference, we invite master’s students, PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers to present their research in posters and compete for the Best Poster Prize, voted by the conference's participants!
Requirements
In order to present your poster in the conference, your research must cover one or more of UiO:Energy and Environment's?main research areas. We have a limited number of spots available to present, so please provide a short description of your research. All submissions will be reviewed. You also need to be affiliated with either UiO or the partners of the conference: Sintef, IFE, NGI, BI or Oslo kommune.
Who can present?
This workshop is open for second-year master's students that have progressed with data collection and analysis in their research project, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers at the University of Oslo. Students or young researchers from the partners of The Future of Energy conference, IFE, NGI, BI and Sintef are also welcome to join.
Deadline
To be eligible to present at The Future of Energy conference, you must submit your poster by?January 6?for print to Cana Elgvin. All costs related to the printing process are covered by UiO:Energy and Environment.
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18:00-19:30 Reception Oslo City Hall
The doors open at 17:15. The event starts promptly at 18:00 and ends at 19:30.
With contributions from:
- Anne Lindboe, Mayor, City of Oslo
- Christine Wergeland S?rbye, CEO, Oslo Science City
Practical information
- Date: January 14, 2026
- Moderator: Ruth Astrid S?ther
- Time:
- Registration from 08:20-09:00.
- The conference starts 09:00 and ends at 17:00.
- Evening reception starts at 18:00, doors open from 17:15, and it ends at 19:30.
- Place:
- Conference sessions at?Georg Sverdrups hus, Campus Blindern
- Evening reception at?Oslo City Hall
- Organizers: UiO:Energy and Environment and Oslo Science City.
Contact
For questions about the conference, please contact Ingvild Budal Jacobsen i.b.jacobsen@energi.uio.no
Background
Vebj?rn Bakken, director of UiO:Energy and environment, reflections on the future of energy 2025
Morten D?hlen, center lead dScience, reflections on how to succeed with the green transition.
Piloting a successful poster competition
Geir Horn from UiO and Jun Elin Wiik from the Smartgrid Center in conversation with Vebj?rn Bakken. Original in Norwegian, translation by Google Translate.
Morten D?hlen, center lead dScience. Original in Norwegian, translation by Google Translate.
Morten D?hlen, center lead dScience. Only available in Norwegian.
The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, insight paper.
From the organizers. Original in Norwegian, translation by Google Translate
The Future of Energy is Green and Digital is an Oslo Science City Arena event developed in partnership with
The Future of Energy is Green and Digital is supported by
