Peter Wiebler, USAID Georgia Mission Director, Giga Zedania, Rector of Ilia State University and, Giorgi Chikovani, Director of Georgian Energy Development Fund opened the Fifth Annual Youth Energy Conference organized by USAID Project Governing for Growth  in Georgia in cooperation with Ilia State University.

The conference aimed at increasing the interest of students of various backgrounds toward the energy sector, particularly, toward the ongoing reforms posing unique opportunities and challenges, necessitating adoption and deployment of new approaches and technologies. Energy sector experts and decision makers spoke to  students about the importance of sustainable energy development and energy security; developing renewable energy and energy efficiency in Georgia; the challenges and opportunities related to the introduction of the new Electricity Market Model; and the potential application of Blockchain technologies in the energy sector.