European Liquid Gas Congress features renewed format in 2024

The European Liquid Gas Congress (ELGC) will feature a new, innovative format when it takes place June 18-20 at the Lyon Convention Center in Lyon, France.

Experts, policymakers and industry leaders from across Europe and around the world will explore the future of the liquid gas industry. The event will be accompanied by the largest exhibition for the sector in Europe.

The theme for this year’s Congress, “Delivering today. Preparing for tomorrow,” is at the heart of the commitment of the liquid gas industry, according to ELGC leaders.

For decades, the industry has been providing reliable and accessible energy solutions to European citizens. With the increasing production of renewable liquid gases, such as renewable LPG and renewable and recycled carbon DME, ELGC leaders say the industry is positioned to provide sustainable alternatives for the future. Liquid gases, they add, also can play a vital role in ensuring a resilient energy supply for the European Union (EU) and help decarbonize its future.

Registration for the Congress is now open and can be made via the ELGC 2024 website.

A strategic time to shape the energy landscape

Recent years have brought a number of challenges and opportunities to the region. Negotiations will end this year on the “Fit for 55” package, a set of legislative proposals aiming to put the EU on track toward carbon neutrality in 2050. The EU’s ambition is to have a 42.5 percent share of renewables in its overall energy consumption in 2030 and a 55 percent reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2030.

The global capacity for renewable/bioLPG production increased by 1.26 million tons in 2023, with the capacity expected to double to 2.2 million tons in the next five years. In Europe, from 2022 to 2023, the capacity for biopropane production from hydrogenated vegetable oil has grown by 12 percent to 326 kilotons/year, and it may double in the coming five years to 674 kilotons/year, according to ELGC leaders.

In the face of complex geopolitical and economic challenges, worldwide cooperation, trade and innovation-sharing have become more valuable than ever, ELGC leaders say, as the 2024 Congress is designed to foster such collaboration, particularly in the context of partnerships with Europe. 

Climate change, low-carbon fuels and key priorities

Against a backdrop of targets to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the share of renewable energy, the ELGC 2024 will explore the role of liquid gas in the long-term energy landscape and help shape a positive trajectory for the sector.

This edition’s program will focus on some of the most pressing priorities, addressing critical topics such as security of supply, sustainability, renewable alternatives and safety. Among others, key topics will include:

• The role of gaseous fuels in Europe in reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions, meeting consumer expectations and impacting sectors such as heating, transport, agriculture, commerce and industrial applications.
• The long-term outlook for Europe’s liquid gases and the policy landscape needed for the development of renewable liquid gases, including R&D and standardization and safety activities.
• The impact of the climate and energy package on off-grid communities and the need to ensure short- and long-term access to affordable energy.

A new Congress for a new context

From the outset, attendees have been encouraged to share their ideas to help shape a program that reflects current concerns and addresses the most pressing issues facing the liquid gas industry.

The 2024 edition will feature two new platforms – theSTAGE and theFORUM – which will host a high-level program, panel discussions and workshops dedicated to each industry priority. The Congress also will host an exhibition showcasing the latest products and services in the liquid gas industry.

The event will conclude with theAWARDS, a European awards ceremony that will pay tribute to some of the most outstanding professionals in their respective fields. The awards categories will address innovation, excellence in safety, leadership, research and development, sustainability, and renewables.

Five decades of history

Since its first edition in 1971, the ELGC has brought the biggest names in the sector to venues across Europe, including Amsterdam, Monaco and Lisbon, drawing on the ongoing debates in each host country.

The most recent edition was held in Rome in 2023, as a combined event of LPG Week and the ELGC, with over 2,500 participants and nearly 170 exhibitors.