VGB Congress 2017 – Generation in Competition

The transition of the energy markets faces our companies with the challenge of positioning themselves and their plants in a changing and uncertain market environment. From the perspective of VGB PowerTech, it is imperative to further improve power generation, preserve and extend its profitability, and to ensure the safe, secure and climate-friendly power supply, as expected, requested and governed by the public and politics. The focus is on the optimisation of the “magic triangle” of economics, safety of supply and environmental compatibility. Against that background, and this is surely unique for an association and its activities, we speak for all sources of energy, irrespective of the technology deployed. Our focus ranges from classical generation through renewables to storage technologies for electricity and heat, and the coupling of electricity with other forms of energy storage.

We would like to extend an invitation to you to discuss the pressing issues with us at the 2017 VGB Congress in Essen, with the theme of

Generation in Competition.

Together with you as participants and our expert and prestigious speakers, we will explore the latest ways to overcome the technical and commercial challenges in power generation and storage of power and energy. These will comprise on the one hand technical contributions aimed at strengthening the market position of each individual source of energy, and on the other hand the transformation in the energy sector itself, which is opening up new horizons and market opportunities.

Sonja van Renssen of ep energy post, Belgium, will chair the plenary session under the motto of “Transformation as Business Opportunity?”. Frank Klose, Boston Consulting Group, will speak about “The transformation of the European utility landscape” and Christian Ruby, Secretary General, Eurelectric, point out to „It is all about decarbonisation! How do we ensure security of supply?“. Both are interesting topics against the background of dwindling conventional power generation capacities and the question how to ensure system stability. The further presentations will focus on decentralisation, digitisation and decarbonisation.

For the specialist sections of the VGB Congress 2017 with 20 presentations, together with the programme committee, we have selected the topics of

• Generation and Storage Technologies for the Future,
• Experience with New Build Projects and O&M,
• New Business Opportunities, and
• Flexibilisation Opportunities in the Generation and Storage of Power and Heat

for you.

A new addition to the programme of the VGB Congress is a fifth specialist section with a focus on dialogue. The speakers will devote attention to highly topical, relevant and, we are certain, extremely stimulating topics from the fields of digitisation and IT security, and face your questions.

As a further innovation, a poster session awaits you with eight presentations in the accompanying trade exhibition.

We are therefore looking forward to welcoming you with your contribution to the European meeting of the electricity and heat generation industries, the VGB Congress of 2017. Let us take the opportunity in Essen, selected as “European Green Capital” for 2017, to discuss the solutions together for the energy generation of the future, its technologies and your businesses.