Each year, the European Forum Alpbach (EFA) in the Tyrolean mountains tackles highly complex questions about our future – and if you are looking for answers within the energy sector, mark September 2nd on your calendar: Enery invites you to the EFA 2026 Hike.
Conference rooms certainly serve a purpose when it comes to hosting retreats or discussing strategic positions behind closed doors. Yet, truly fresh perspectives are—quite literally—usually found when we step outside those four walls and head into nature. True to this, Enery is hosting a very special format at this year’s European Forum Alpbach: the hike “Europe’s Race for Energy Competitiveness and Resilience”.
Not a Walk in the Park
On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, starting at 2:00 PM, we will swap the Congress Centrum Alpbach (CCA) for Tyrol‘s great landscape for two and a half hours. But anyone expecting a leisurely post-lunch stroll is sorely mistaken. Expect a steep ascent, foremost in an intellectual sense—diving deep into the foundations of our future industry and society.
Europe’s race for energy competitiveness and resilience will be decided by the speed of renewable energy and grid expansion, affordable prices, resilient supply chains, and effective financing. During the hike, we will openly discuss (in English) how Europe can accelerate the build-out of a truly integrated electricity network, remove permitting and regulatory bottlenecks, and deliver price stability for the industry. We will talk about whether renewables do translate into competitive energy costs and whether dependence on external manufacturing threatens long-term security. And we will explore the crucial question: Are Europe’s financial markets a strategic advantage or are they constrained by overregulation?
Experts Charting the Course
To ensure these questions don’t stall in mere theoretical platitudes, experts will act as the guides for this hike.
– Richard König, CEO of Enery will lead the way, while
– Gudrun Senk, Technical Managing Director Wiener Linien
– Marina Kobakova, Country Managerin ING Bank Bulgaria and Austria as well as
– FINGREEN-Founder Lukas Stühlinger and
– neoom-Founder Walter Kreisel
will (among others) act as speakers and presenters, respectivley, throughout the hike at various stops.
The talks will include the following topics:
– What will determine Europe’s energy competitiveness by 2035?
>- How can we reach energy price competitivness?
>- Should Europe buy from China to be competitive in energy?
>- How can innovative financing make projects more competitive?
Are You Ready?
The Forum Alpbach thrives on discourse—and this hike thrives on creative minds willing to walk, debate, and think outside the box together with us. Whether you are working in the energy sector or have traveled to Alpbach as an innovator from a completely different field: if you want to help shape Europe’s energy future, this is the place for you.
Enery EFA Hike Hard Facts:
- When? September 2, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM (walking time: ~1 hour, stops: 3 × 15 min)
- Where? Böglerwiese (start: Congress Centrum Alpbach Terrace | end: CCA Loggia)
- How? The principle is “First come, first served.”
- Info: https://www.alpbach.org/sessions/hike-europes-race-for-energy-competitiveness-and-resilience
A final piece of advice: Please come equipped with sturdy footwear and plenty of drinking water. And don’t worry about the Tyrolean mountain weather: in the event of heavy rain, we will simply move our in-depth discussions about the future of Europe to Classroom 1 of the local elementary school. A highly fitting venue, really—after all, our goal is to completely rethink the basics of our energy sector.
FAQ
1. What role does the European Forum Alpbach play in addressing future challenges?
The European Forum Alpbach serves as an annual platform dedicated to addressing highly complex questions about the future through vibrant, collaborative discourse. The event brings together brilliant minds and innovative thinkers from various sectors to cultivate fresh strategic perspectives for Europe.
2. Where is the European Forum Alpbach held, and how flexible is its event organization?
The event is primarily anchored at the Congress Centrum Alpbach, located in the Kufstein district of Tyrol. It accommodates the forum’s core sessions and strategic discussions. However, the organization remains highly adaptable, seamlessly relocating outdoor activities to local indoor facilities like the community elementary school if challenged by volatile Tyrolean mountain weather.
3. What distinguishes Enery as a key player in the energy sector?
Headquartered in Austria, Enery acquires, develops, builds, and operates renewable energy plants throughout Central and Eastern Europe. The heart of its business is a young and energetic team, always looking for creative ways to help renewable energy have a greater impact in everybody’s everyday lives.