“When Energy Runs Out” Workshop

“When Energy Runs Out” – Workshop for Energy Experts

When: November 12, 2025 | 9:00 – 13:00

Where: HUN-REN TTK, Budapest, Magyar Tudósok Körútja 2, 1117

Participation: Free, but registration required (maximum 40 participants)
🕛 Registration Deadline: November 3, 2025, midnight
👉 Register here

About the Workshop

Hungary’s energy professionals, consultants, engineers, and suppliers are invited to join “When Energy Runs Out”—a half-day workshop dedicated to rethinking and strengthening the role of energy experts in guiding SMEs through the green transition.

Organised by the Interreg Danube SMEnergy Project and the Hungarian Renewable Energy Association (MMESZ), the event blends keynote presentations, peer learning, and collaborative discussions to explore how domestic and European models can inspire a stronger, more connected energy-expert community in Hungary.

Organisers

SMEnergy Project – An international initiative across 8 European countries supporting the green transition of energy-intensive SMEs through practical knowledge, tailored advice, and renewable energy solutions.

Hungarian Renewable Energy Association (MMESZ) – A national network connecting energy professionals, suppliers, and technology providers to drive practical green transition solutions in Hungary.

Background

Hungarian energy professionals face daily challenges that extend beyond technical expertise: convincing clients, navigating regulatory hurdles, managing delayed payments, and coping with limited resources. These factors often drain the very energy they are experts in managing—particularly when helping SMEs make the leap to sustainable energy.

Research from the SMEnergy project, spanning eight countries, found that Hungary ranks lowest in institutional support for SME energy transition. Professionals often work in an uncertain environment marked by unpredictable rules, delayed funding, and missing support structures.

Despite these challenges, energy experts bridge critical gaps. They identify feasible solutions, balance energy efficiency with economic realities, and navigate the complex interests of various stakeholders. In countries like Austria, Slovenia, and Germany, energy experts are embedded in networks, hubs, and partnerships—empowered to act as strategic players, not just sideline consultants.

Workshop Objective

The workshop aims to rethink the role, tasks, and tools of energy experts in Hungary by combining domestic insight with European best practice.

Through presentations and interactive sessions, participants will explore how to:

Build and benefit from energy-expert networks inspired by Slovenian and Austrian examples.
Collaborate on shared challenges and innovative service models.
Identify opportunities to initiate change within their professional communities and organisations.

Why Join?

The event offers a unique opportunity to:

Gain Practical Knowledge – Learn from European models and Hungarian experiences guiding SMEs through the green transition.
See New Perspectives – Understand how energy expertise can become strategic, not just technical.
Join a Community – Engage in peer dialogue, co-create solutions, and form new partnerships
Find Inspiration – Hear how small expert collaborations in Slovenia grew into a nationwide network—and imagine what could come next for Hungary.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is designed for energy professionals, consultants, engineers, and collaborating suppliers, especially those who:

Spend too much time on administration and want to reclaim their operational focus.
Often feel isolated in convincing clients or securing funding and want to collaborate on real solutions.
Are curious about European models that empower, not exhaust, energy experts.
Believe that meaningful change begins within a professional community.

Program Highlights

09:00 – 09:15 – Arrival, Registration & Morning Coffee
09:15 – 09:30 – Opening & Welcome
Dr. Csaba Novák (President, MMESZ; CEO, Iconic Energy Kft.)
Zsombor Dénes (Axing Zrt., Operational Director, representing the Hungarian Energy Auditors’ Association)

09:30 – 09:40 – SMEnergy Project Overview: Goals, experimentation across 8 countries, and the GEKOS concept
09:40 – 09:55 – Energy Experts’ Business Models: Opportunities, adaptations, and partnerships (GEKOS database)
09:55 – 10:05 – Climbing the Energy Pyramid: Roadmap to green energy for diverse businesses
10:05 – 10:20 – Challenges of Being First: Insights from Hungary’s first energy agency
10:20 – 11:00 – Panel Discussion: Energy Available – Limited Leeway? The role of energy experts in Hungary’s green transition
11:00 – 11:20 – Coffee Break & Networking
11:20 – 12:45 – Energy Experts Workshop: From Problems to Solutions
• Thematic table discussions to explore challenges and define paths forward
• Plenary sharing of results, reflections, and next steps
12:45 – 13:00 – Closing & Summary