ESINERGY Final Conference

We are pleased to announce the ESINERGY Final Conference, taking place on June 18, 2026, in Varna, Bulgaria. This full-day event will bring together energy experts, local authorities, and innovators from across the Danube Region to share results, lessons learned, and real-world solutions for peak load reduction and local energy system flexibility.

📅 Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026

🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

📍 Venue: Hotel Cherno More, 33 Slivnitsa Blvd., 9000 Varna, Bulgaria – Hall Varna, Conference Center, 2nd Floor

💻 Online participation via Zoom is also available!

Working language: ENGLISH (no translations will be provided)

Whether you join us in person or remotely, we warmly encourage you to attend and to share this invitation with colleagues, networks, and anyone with an interest in smart energy solutions.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

The programme includes keynote presentations, two panel discussions featuring pilot project results from 8 countries, and an inspiring study visit:

Welcome & Opening – Sofia Koleva (Deputy Mayor of Varna), Deyan Ivanov (Mayor of Beloslav), and Katja Karba (ESINERGY Lead Partner, Local Energy Agency Pomurje)
Danube Region Programme: Insights into Energy Transition – Horst Schindler, Interreg Danube Region Programme
Local Energy Systems Under Pressure: The Challenge of Peak Demand – Dr. Michael Stöhr, B.A.U.M. Consult
Panel Discussion I: Pilot Actions in Practice – Solutions for Peak Load Reduction (Featuring experiences from Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bulgaria on battery storage, smart metering, bidirectional EV charging, and grid stability)
Peak Load Reduction Results – Alen Višnjić, Medjimurje Energy Agency (MENEA)
Panel Discussion II: Pilot Actions in Practice – Solutions for Peak Load Reduction (Featuring experiences from Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, and Germany on energy communities, redox-flow storage, heat pump systems, and AI-based hydropower optimization)
Key Lessons from ESINERGY & Closing Remarks – Katja Karba, ESINERGY Lead Partner
Study Visit: Albena Tourist Resort – Energy Management in Action

HOW TO JOIN

👉 Register to attend in person or online: https://shortlink.uk/ESINERGY

👉 Join via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88480970260

IMPORTANT: Registration is required for both in-person and online participation.

We hope to see you in Varna – or online – on June 18th!

FINAL CONFERENCE AGENDA

10:00–10:20

OPENING

Welcome and introduction to the conference objectives

· Sofia Koleva· Deputy Mayor of Varna

· Deyan Ivanov· Mayor of Beloslav

· Katja Karba· Local Energy Agency Pomurje – ESINERGY Lead Partner

10:20–10:35

DANUBE REGION PROGRAMME INSIGHTS INTO ENERGY TRANSITION

· Horst Schindler· Priority Officer & Project Officer for SO 2.1 Renewable Energy, Interreg Danube Region Programme [Online via Zoom]

10:35–10:55

LOCAL ENERGY SYSTEMS UNDER PRESSURE: THE CHALLENGE OF PEAK DEMAND

· Dr. Michael Stöhr· B.A.U.M. Consult

10:55–11:55

PANEL DISCUSSION

Pilot actions in practice: solutions for peak load reduction

Moderated by Dragan Milutinović· RARIS, Regional Development Agency Eastern Serbia

· Nina Jurinić· MENEA, Croatia: Battery storage and smart metering for peak load reduction in public buildings

· Janja Horvat· Smart House, Slovenia: Smart energy management with battery storage and bidirectional EV charging

· Faruk Cerić· SERDA, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Battery-based flexibility solutions for local energy systems

· Todor Tonev· UBBSLA, Bulgaria: Energy storage integration for peak load reduction and grid stability

11:55–13:00

LUNCH AND NETWORKING BREAK

13:00–13:20

PEAK LOAD REDUCTION RESULTS

· Alen Višnjić· MENEA – Medjimurje Energy Agency Ltd

13:20–14:20

PANEL DISCUSSION

Pilot actions in practice: solutions for peak load reduction

Moderated by Dr. Michael Stöhr· B.A.U.M. Consult

· Andrea Dornhofer· Energy and Innovation Centre of Weiz, Austria: Energy community and redox-flow storage system in Weiz

· Gabor Heves· IMRO, Hungary: Establishment of an energy community in Lenti

· Volodymyr Smolii· Association “Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine”, Ukraine: Enhancing energy resilience of critical infrastructure: heat pump system in Khotyn Hospital

· Andreas Klär· Electricity Company Hindelang, Germany: AI-based optimisation of hydropower and smart grid control for EV charging

14:20–14:30

CLOSING

Key lessons from ESINERGY and closing remarks

· Katja Karba· Local Energy Agency Pomurje – ESINERGY Lead Partner

14:45–18:00

STUDY VISIT

Study visit: experience of Albena Tourist Resort in energy management

Bus transportation arranged – free of charge for all registered attendees. Gathering point in front of the hotel.

Participants will visit Albena Resort to see photovoltaic installations, solar thermal panels, a 200-kWh battery storage system, and the INVADE smart energy management platform in real operating conditions. The resort has demonstrated a 13.5% reduction in energy costs through innovative load management.