Editorial - VGB PowerTech Journal 9/2015

Welcoming address to the VGB Congress “Power Plants 2015”

The European electricity supply system is subject to rapid and fundamental changes that are various, impacting the whole range of electricity generation and thus the entire business including operators, manufacturers and service companies. Renewables and conventional generation are facing considerable technical challenges within the scope of the energy transition (“Energiewende”) and the EU energy union. In this context, engineering key words like flexibilisation, ability to quick start-up, decentralisation of generation, power-to-gas etc. were introduced in public discussions with increasing awareness of their meaning and challenges. New market conditions call for adjustment and innovation in order to enable economic generation and future investments. However, particularly power plants – today and in the foreseeable future the basis of secure power supply with stable grids – have been manoeuvred into stormy economic waters.

At the VGB Congress “Power Plants 2015”, entitled

„Energy Transition – Opportunities for Power Generation“

we will discuss the challenges as well as chances for our industry in the Austrian capital on September 9 and 10, 2015.

The VGB Congress will be an ideal forum for exchanging issues and ideas how leading European technologies can be the key to meet the economic challenges.

We particularly appreciate the broad commitment of our Austrian hosts and our international lecturers. Vienna and Austria are an important European interface, thus offering the perfect setting for our issues. The Austrian power sector also has a central and in many aspects leading role: with its run-of-river, storage and pumped storage hydro power plants, often called “European green battery”, Austrian utilities make an import approach towards environmentally friendly electricity generation and European-wide grid stabilisation.

The Congress programme also includes a technical visit to the Simmering power plant which demonstrates how forestry biomass is becoming part of environmentally compatible power generation. Hydro energy is also on the agenda with an excursion to the Freudenau Danube power plant.

The plenary lectures will be held by renowned lecturers dealing with the future role of renewables and fossil fuels in Europe. Energy storages and distributed generation will also be addressed as well as “No alternative to decarbonisation”.

• Satisfying Demand for Electricity – Developments of Conventional Generation
• Satisfying Demand for Electricity – Developments of Renewables
• Ensuring System Stability and
• Increasing Flexibility of Assets

The titles of the 22 technical papers promise exciting presentations and in-depth discussions about the future path of electricity generation in the 21st century: questions like the optimisation of the value-added chain in power generation, the ideal positioning of the market and economically viable operation of existing and new power plants will be discussed in Vienna.

We are looking forward to your participation and your contributions at the VGB Congress “Power Plants 2015”, the get together of the European power and heat industry.
“Energy Transition – Opportunities for Power Generation”: the VGB Congress 2015 will supply solutions for the challenges our industry is facing.