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. What is new about the current and globally visible processes of change is the multitude of topics raised at the same time and their relevance to areas beyond pure energy supply: Digitisation, flexibility, security of supply, energy storage, decentralisation, integrated energy supply across consumption sectors, mobility, climate protection and, of course, market design are some of the important aspects worthy of mention. It is remarkable that our topic at VGB PowerTech, power generation, is always at the beginning of the chain: Digi­tisation, security of supply, power storage, integrated energy and e-mobility are neither conceivable nor feasible without generation. In VGB PowerTech’s view, the focus must be on the triangle of economic efficiency, security of supply and environmental compatibility; simply focusing on individual aspects may be convenient and opportune, but it does not correspond to the great and pivotal responsibility of creating and maintaining a reliable power supply for our society.

VGB PowerTech invites you to join in discussing future topics, ideas and projects at the VGB Congress 2018 in Munich under the motto of

Power Generation in Transition.

With you as participants, our expert and eminent speakers and the companies at the accompanying trade exhibition, will highlight the latest innovative solutions for technical and commercial change in power generation in the presentations and discussions.

Sonja van Renssen of ep energy post, Belgium, will moderate our plenary session entitled „The European development towards CO₂ neutrality“.

For the technical sections, we and the programme committee have selected the following topics for you:

• Integrated energy supply across consumption sectors
• Power plant optimization
• Storage – experience & potential
• Progress through digitisation – Productivity | Cost-effectiveness
• Combined heat and power | Gas to power technologies

VGB´s dialogue forum focuses on the topics of “Optimisation of power plant productivity”, “Progress through digitisation in operation” and “Reduction of emissions”. The dialogue forum puts the aspect of the detailed discussion of the presentation contents in the foreground.

This year´s VGB Congress will host together the Workshop of the international partner organization, IERE – Electric Power Technology Platform. The participants of the VGB Congress are cordially invited to attend the presentations at the IERE workshop, which will take place in parallel under the joint event motto “Power Generation in Transition”.

VGB PowerTech is therefore looking forward to seeing you and listening to your contributions at the VGB Congress of 2018, the industry meeting and platform for power and heat generation. There, in Munich-Unterschleissheim, we will discuss the way forward, our ideas, our activities and work for the power generation of the future, its technologies and opportunities in the marketplace.