The far-reaching change in electricity and heat generation towards an energy system of the future, which must meet the requirements of security of supply, economic efficiency and sustainability in terms of climate neutrality and conservation of resources, naturally also has an impact on VGB Power­Tech as the technical association of power and storage plant operators. The association’s answers to current and future challenges are to be found in the “VGB100” strategy project, which was launched last autumn, and transformed into solutions. The aim of this project is not only to successfully conclude the first 100 years of the VGB in September 2020, but also to develop a viable and sustainable perspective for the next 100 years of the association. All important facets were bundled in 5 sub-projects, which will be briefly presented in the following.

In the Strategy sub-project under the direction of the executive managing director, the future self-image of the association with a new mission statement consisting of vision, mission, goals and values was developed in the past months in various discussion formats with all important stakeholders. The Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, employees of the office and representatives of the member companies were involved and reformulated the role and tasks of the VGB in an energy system of the future and integrated them into the energy policy framework. The mission statement will be published on the occasion of the VGB Congress 2019 in September in Salzburg and we are looking forward to the response.

The sub-project Digitisation under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Eck, Head of Department Power Plant Technologies and Environmental Technology, is not only intended to make the manifold already ongoing activities of VGB and its member companies transparent and visible, but also to develop new topics, projects and services of the association. In addition to successfully launched digitisation workshops for hydropower, wind power and conventional generation technologies, concrete products have been launched that also bring concrete benefits for companies. These include, for example, the digitisation barometer for hydropower and wind or the “WiPPEx” (Wind Power Performance Data Exchange) database for performance benchmarking of wind turbines. Of course, the digitisation package also includes an internal perspective for further developing the VGB into a digital association. The project activities for the implementation of a modern, web-based work and communication platform to replace the previous system of closed user groups and to offer new working methods within and between the committees and the association are well advanced. The rollout for this platform as well as for a revised website is planned for the 100th anniversary in September 2020.

Further additional services of the association including the technical services, which have meanwhile been bundled mainly in VGB PowerTech Service GmbH under the joint management of Dr. Oliver Then and Dr. Christian Ullrich, will be developed in a third subproject. These include the expansion of existing activities, e.g. in the wind sector and databases, the development of new technology fields and topics, and the expansion of the range of technical services. One example is the establishment of a new “Future Energy System” committee, which has emerged from three existing committees dealing with renewable energies, energy storage and new generation concepts and is also to develop a platform for intensive exchange with universities, research institutes and manufacturers. Another example is the more intensive marketing and licensing of the KKS and RDS-PP® designation systems, which are used worldwide and whose license-free use will be reserved for energy plant operating VGB member companies.

In a fourth field of action under the leadership of Dr. Mario Bachhiesl, Head of the Renewable and Decentralised Generation and Occupational Health and Safety Department, all activities for the support of existing memberships and for the acquisition of new member companies will be bundled. Naturally various interfaces to the project activities already described develop, because only with activity and service portfolios aligned on the use for the member enterprises a membership in the federation and the use of its service activities can be justified also in the future. In the future, we want to keep our finger on the pulse of the times and react faster and more flexibly.

In the fifth sub-project under the direction of Jörg Kiepert, Head of Business Support, everything revolves around operational excellence, i.e. the optimisation and digitisation of VGB- and PTS-internal work processes. This includes ordering and accounting, but also controlling and, for example, event management. After all, our members expect an efficient and effective use of membership fees and other income.

All the activities described, which will be reported on regularly in future, have the aim of making the association fit for the future for the benefit of the member companies. The great challenge here is not only that the energy system of the future is only known or outlined in broad outlines, but that the association, as a technical association, must generate benefits essentially from the concrete details of the technologies and the overall system. But also that the content and structural (and in part also personnel) transformation must be mastered in ongoing operations as an additional task and in a difficult economic environment. After all, it is our aim to deliver the well-known and proven range of work and services for our members, customers and committee members in the most accustomed manner and quality possible.

Even though we are still in the middle of the project, and even though some activities will mutate into a permanent task, I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of my colleagues from VGB and PTS for their continued support and understanding for what I hope will be minor transformation losses. We are all looking forward to forming an association for the future together with them and are grateful for every suggestion and feedback.