Upcoming / 26th IERE General Meeting and Chubu EPCO–CRIEPI Japan Forum

I am pleased to invite you to the 26th IERE General Meeting and Chubu EPCO–CRIEPI Japan Forum, which will take place from December 1 to 4, 2026, in Nagoya, Japan. Together with Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. and the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, we will hold the forum under the theme “Powering Today, Defining the Future.”

This theme captures one of the central challenges facing our industry. The power sector must continue to provide reliable and affordable energy every day. At the same time, we need to respond to accelerating decarbonization, changing patterns of supply and demand, aging infrastructure, growing concerns about energy security, and rapid advances in digital technologies.

We cannot choose between operating today’s system and building tomorrow’s. We must do both.

This means building on the assets, knowledge and operational experience already available, while remaining open to new technologies and new ways of working. Continuity and innovation should not be seen as opposing forces. The real task is to bring them together in ways that make our energy systems more sustainable, flexible and resilient.

For this reason, the forum will deliberately move beyond the consideration of individual technologies. A promising technology does not create value in isolation. Its contribution depends on how it interacts with generation, networks, storage, markets, and energy users. We therefore want to examine how different solutions can work together across the entire energy value chain – and where technical, economic or organizational barriers still prevent this.

Technological potential is essential, but it is not sufficient. Successful transformation also requires solutions that can be scaled, that are commercially viable and that can be implemented effectively in real power systems. Research and innovation must ultimately prove their value under operational conditions. This includes reliability, safety, affordability and the ability to integrate with existing infrastructure and processes.

The forum’s technical sessions reflect this practical perspective. They will address the transition from conventional inspection to predictive asset management, the development of more efficient, flexible and resilient power generation and networks, the relationship between energy security and Green Transformation, and the opportunities created by software-driven digitalization. Across these topics, the underlying question will be the same: how can we translate technological progress into solutions that deliver lasting value?

The answers will not be identical everywhere. Countries and regions have different resources, infrastructures, market structures and societal priorities. This is precisely why international exchange matters. By sharing practical experience – not only our successes, but also the obstacles and lessons encountered along the way – we can better understand which approaches are transferable and which need to be adapted to local conditions.

IERE provides a unique platform for this exchange. It brings together utilities, research organizations, technology providers and other experts from across the world. What matters to me is that we use this platform not only to present new ideas, but also to question them constructively, connect them with operational needs and explore opportunities for cooperation.

I encourage experts from IERE member organizations and beyond to contribute their work, practical experience and perspectives to the forum. The presentations, discussions and personal exchanges in Nagoya should help us identify realistic pathways for progress and establish new connections that continue beyond the event itself.

I would like to thank Chubu EPCO and CRIEPI for hosting and organizing this important meeting. Their combination of extensive operational experience and strong research capabilities reflects the central idea of the forum: powering the system of today while working together to define its future.

I look forward to welcoming you to Nagoya and to an open, practical and forward-looking exchange.

On behalf of Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., the co-organizer of the 26th IERE General Meeting and the Chubu EPCO–CRIEPI Japan Forum, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you for attending this international conference in Nagoya.

First, let me tell you a little about Nagoya.

The Chubu region, where Nagoya is located—connecting Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, Japan’s three major cities—is a thriving manufacturing hub. It is home to companies such as Toyota Motor Corporation in the automotive industry and Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the aircraft industry, and is connected to the world through the Port of Nagoya, which handles the largest volume of cargo in Japan.

In addition, among historical figures, the three great warlords*1—ODA Nobunaga, TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi, and TOKUGAWA Ieyasu—who laid the foundation for modern Japan from the Sengoku period through the Edo period, all hailed from this Chubu region.

In terms of sightseeing, in addition to Nagoya Castle*2, Ise Grand Shrine*3, Takayama*4, and Shirakawa-go*5, Kyoto is just one stop away by Shinkansen, making it extremely convenient. This means you can use Nagoya as a base to visit a variety of fascinating destinations.

Now, these days, with a series of international conflicts and unprecedented natural disasters, the global situation has become increasingly turbulent, and ensuring a stable energy supply and a reliable electricity supply has become a top priority.

Under these circumstances, the electric power industry is called upon to undergo a transformation that allows it to respond flexibly while building on its traditional strengths.

As Japan as a whole works toward carbon neutrality, efforts such as the proactive adoption of cutting-edge technologies and the construction of new data centers in response to advancing digitalization will continue to accelerate in the future.

This trend is the same worldwide, and electricity supply is playing an increasingly important role.

To ensure the sustainable development of modern society into the future, there are still many research challenges that need to be addressed, including the design, operation, control, and maintenance of power and energy systems; the development, evaluation, and optimization of the underlying technologies; and the implementation of measures that are environmentally friendly.

We hope that this conference, which we are organizing together with all of you, will not only provide an opportunity to learn about various initiatives but also offer valuable insights and help you build professional networks that will benefit your future endeavors.

We look forward to welcoming you from December 1 through 4.

*1 Active from around 1560 to the early 1600s.　ODA Nobunaga paved the way for national unification, TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi achieved national unification, and Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Edo Shogunate, which enjoyed 260 years of stability.

https://www.nagoya-info.jp/en/feature/detail/62

*2 Built by TOKUGAWA Ieyasu.

Famous for its golden orca-shaped ornament and the opulent Honmaru Palace.

https://www.nagoyajo.city.nagoya.jp/en

*3 It has a history of about 2,000 years as the center of shrines nationwide.

https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en

*4 As a castle town, it has many historic buildings.

https://www.hida.jp/english

*5 Famous for its World Heritage-listed gassho-zukuri houses.

https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en

CRIEPI is honored to co-host the 26th IERE General Meeting and Chubu EPCO–CRIEPI Japan Forum, and we sincerely welcome all participants visiting Nagoya, Japan.

The global electric power industry is undergoing significant transformation. The importance of energy and resource security is increasing, while the demand for decarbonization continues to rise. The expansion of renewable energy is fundamentally changing power system characteristics and making system operation more complex. At the same time, on the demand side, rapid growth driven by data centers is progressing, while challenges are emerging in maintaining infrastructure in regions facing declining demand due to population decrease.

It is not easy to foresee what kind of future lies ahead of these changes. However, understanding how challenges are being addressed around the world, as well as the current stage of advanced research and development, provides valuable insights for shaping the future. This forum offers an excellent opportunity for participants to share their expertise and engage in in-depth discussions on these critical issues.

Furthermore, we expect that this forum will promote closer collaboration among engineers  from different countries, accelerating research and development and fostering innovations that lead to real-world implementation.

We look forward to meeting you in December and hope that we will share a productive and meaningful time together.