Around 140 experts from European ministries of defence, EU institutions, industry, and academia representing 26 countries (23 EU Member States, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland) gathered in Ljubljana for the second conference of the fourth phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS IV).
Organised by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of Defence, the two-day conference (2–3 December 2025) focused on strengthening cooperation in energy resilience and sustainability across the defence sector. Building on the groundwork laid at the first conference in Warsaw, this session marked a shift from planning to implementation. Participants worked on shaping innovative project concepts, refining proposals for future studies, and advancing new guidance and roadmaps to support resilient, sustainable energy solutions in defence. They also identified new opportunities for collaboration across working groups and expert communities to help align efforts and accelerate progress.
Opening the conference via a recorded message, André Denk, Chief Executive of EDA, highlighted that “military readiness today depends on securing reliable and adaptable energy that can sustain defence operations”. This can be achieved if we change our mindset and “by treating energy as a strategic asset, and not a burden. This is exactly what the Consultation Forum stands for.” He concluded with a powerful message: “A force that can power itself —independently and sustainably — is a force that can defend itself.”
In his remarks, Gregor Zupan, Deputy Director-General of the Logistics Directorate, stressed the importance of the Forum as a platform that strengthens the defence energy community and supports the collective progress of ongoing initiatives. He noted that “the Forum offers a strong foundation for knowledge exchange, deepening cooperation, and shaping joint strategic directions that contribute to meaningful improvements,” and reaffirmed Slovenia’s commitment to advancing sustainable and secure energy practices within the defence sector.
The conference continued over two days with dynamic discussions and interactive sessions, featuring a rich agenda of topics. Member States exchanged best practices from their national energy strategies and policies and examined developments in areas such as advanced energy storage, smart grids, energy management systems and alternative fuels. The programme also included an on-site visit by Forum energy-efficiency experts to refurbished Slovenian military barracks.
The Ljubljana conference marked another important step forward in Europe’s collective effort to make defence greener, more efficient, and more resilient.
More about the CF SEDSS
· Consultation Forum Sustainable Energy
· Fourth phase of EU forum plots resilient energy path for defence
· EDA and EU Commission sign grant for new phase in green defence