Co-operations

As an international technical association for power and heat generation we are working - on European level - in close co-operation with EURELECTRIC, the umbrella association of the European electricity industry. Within the framework of a memorandum of understanding association agreement between EURELECTRIC and VGB, VGB's professional competence is integrated into the political/strategical work of EURELECTRIC in all questions regarding the generation of power and heat including issues of environmental protection.
Furthermore, contacts are intensified with organisations in the framework of an international network such as:
  • COGEN Europe (The European Association for the Promotion of Cogeneration),
  • EPPSA (European Power Plant Suppliers' Asscociation),
  • EU Turbines (European Association of Gas and Steam Turbine Manufacturers),
  • EURACOAL (European Association for Coal and Lignite),
  • Euroheat & Power (The international association of district heating & cooling),
  • EREC (European Renewable Energy Council),
  • EREF (European Renewable Energies Federation),
  • EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute),
  • ESWET (European Suppliers of Waste to Energy Technology),
  • EWEA (The European Wind Energy Association)
  • FORATOM (European Atomic Forum),
  • IEA (International Energy Association),
  • IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency),
  • IERE (International Electric Research Exchange),
  • TENPES (Thermal and Nuclear Power Engineering Society) and
  • WEC (World Energy Council).

Moreover, VGB represents the German power plant operators in the WANO (World Association of Nuclear Operators). With our technical committees on nuclear power plant engineering and operation and nuclear fuel cycle we are actively taking part in the world-wide exchange of experience as well as in the analysis of particular events in nuclear power plants. For this purpose, we are operating a reporting and evaluation centre (ZMA - Zentrale Melde- und Auswertestelle) to collect, evaluate and forward the occurrences of nuclear power plants.
On national basis we are working in close co-operation with BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft as well as with other technical associations as:
  • AGFW (Der Energieeffizienzverband für Wärme, Kälte und KWK e.V.),
  • VIK (Verband der industriellen Energie- und Kraftwirtschaft),
  • VKU (Verband der kommunalen Unternehmen).
In the range of standardisation and technical legislation we are working with:
  • CEN (European Committee for Standardisation),
  • CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation),
  • DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung)

and other organisations.

Concerning the utilisation and use of combustion products from coal-fired power plants we run the management for ECOBA (European Coal Combustion Products Association).