TCB Conference 2026: The Agriculture and Energy Nexus (Breakout Event 3)

Breakout Event 3 of The Clean Economy Bridge Conference explores the agriculture–energy nexus and what it means for a resilient, low-carbon economy across the Atlantic. Agriculture is both impacted by the energy transition, through rising input costs, new infrastructure, and climate risks, and a potential contributor to solutions, through bioenergy and biogas, renewable electricity generation on farmland, and climate-smart practices that reduce emissions and strengthen energy and food security.

This session brings together perspectives from Canada, Germany, and the United States to examine where cooperation is already emerging and where joint approaches could accelerate progress. It will consider how policy and investment frameworks can better align climate and energy objectives with rural development and the competitiveness of farmers and agri-food value chains.

The discussion will focus on three connected themes: decarbonising agricultural energy use, including electrification of machinery and low-carbon heat, sustainable bioenergy and biomethane pathways that avoid land-use and biodiversity trade-offs, and the role of farms and rural regions as flexibility providers, through on-site generation, storage, and demand response, within increasingly renewable power systems. Across these themes, participants will reflect on shared challenges and practical lessons on how to scale solutions while safeguarding food production, ecosystems, and social acceptance.

Speakers:

• Dr. Jairo Garcia, CEO, Urban Climate Nexus (USA)
• Katherine Festeryga, Founder, Edie Farming (Canada)
• Angela Heinssen, Lawyer, Kanzlei an der Lühe (Germany