World Energy Council

World Energy Council
Formation11 July 1924; 100 years ago (1924-07-11)
TypeCharity
Legal statusFoundation
PurposeEnergy issues
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Region served
Global
Membership
Member Committees in 92 countries + 2 direct members
Secretary General
Angela Wilkinson
Chair
Michael Howard
Main organ
World Energy Congress
AffiliationsWEC Foundation
WEC Services Limited
Websitewww.worldenergy.org
Formerly called
World Power Conference
World Energy Conference

The World Energy Council is a global forum for thought-leadership and tangible engagement with headquarters in London. Its mission is 'To promote the sustainable supply and use of energy for the greatest benefit of all people'.

The idea for the foundation of the Council came from Daniel Nicol Dunlop in the 1920s. He wanted to gather experts from all around the world to discuss current and future energy issues. He organised in 1923 first national committees, which organised the first World Power Conference (WPC) in 1924. 1,700 experts from 40 countries met in London to discuss energy issues. The meeting was a success and the participants decided on 11 July 1924 to establish a permanent organisation named World Power Conference. Dunlop was elected as its first Secretary General.[1] In 1968 the name was changed to World Energy Conference, and in 1989 it became the World Energy Council.[2]

The World Energy Council is the principal impartial network of leaders and practitioners promoting an affordable, stable and environmentally sensitive energy system for the greatest benefit of all. Formed in 1923, the Council is the UN-accredited[3] global energy body, representing the entire energy spectrum, with more than 3,000 member organisations located in over 90 countries and drawn from governments, private and state corporations, academia, NGOs and energy-related stakeholders. The World Energy Council informs global, regional and national energy strategies by hosting high-level events, publishing authoritative studies, and working through its extensive member network to facilitate the world’s energy policy dialogue. Today, the Council has Member Committees established in over 90 countries, which represent over 3,000 member organizations including governments, industry and expert institutions. The World Energy Council covers all energy resources and technologies of energy supply and demand.[4]

Presidium of the Second World Power Conference in Berlin, 1930 (from right to left): Edouard Tissot, Oskar von Miller and his wife Marie Seitz, Carl Köttgen [Deutsch]

The World Energy Council hosts the World Energy Congress, which is the world's largest and most influential energy event covering all aspects of the energy agenda. Staged every three years, the Congress provides a platform for energy leaders and experts in all aspects of the sector to address the challenges and opportunities facing suppliers and consumers of energy. The 2019 edition took place in Abu Dhabi from 9–12 September, where it was announced that Saint Petersburg will be the host city for the next World Energy Congress in 2022.[5]

The World Energy Council's publications include annual releases like the World Energy Trilemma Index, which compares Energy security, equity and environmental sustainability on a country-by-country basis[6] (also available as an online tool[7]), as well as Insights Briefs on current energy topics such as Blockchain.[8]

  1. ^ Wright, Rebecca; Shin, Hiroki; Trentmann, Frank (2013). From World Power Conference to World Energy Council: 90 Years of Energy Cooperation, 1923 - 2013 (PDF). World Energy Council. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-946121-31-1. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  2. ^ Wright, Rebecca; Shin, Hiroki; Trentmann, Frank (2013). From World Power Conference to World Energy Council: 90 Years of Energy Cooperation, 1923 - 2013 (PDF). World Energy Council. p. 8. ISBN 978 0 946121 31 1. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  3. ^ "World Energy Council". unterm.un.org. Archived from the original on 2014-01-04.
  4. ^ "About the World Energy Council". World Energy Council. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  5. ^ "WEC19". WEC19. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  6. ^ World Energy Council (2018). "World Energy Trilemma Index" (PDF). World Energy Council. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  7. ^ "WEC Energy Trilemma Index Tool". trilemma.worldenergy.org. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  8. ^ "World Energy Insights Brief | Blockchain: Anthology of Interviews". World Energy Council. Retrieved 2020-03-13.