VGB Congress "Power Plants 2013" with technical exhibition
Our industry is facing enormous challenges. The structure of European electricity supply is being changed radically. The target of a future sustainable energy mix and the ways to achieve this target are being discussed controversially. Energy policy is dominated by the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, further extension of the share of renewables as well as considerable increase of plant efficiency. At the time, supply security and affordable energy must be maintained for all consumers. Supply security, however, requires diversity, i.e. all kinds of energy resources and fully reliable supply of electricity all year round. The increasing share of renewables in European energy supply and the related shift in the energy mix confront electricity supply with special problems. Due to fluctuating, not reliably predictable renewables-based generation, other conventional sources of energy have to provide for the necessary balance and grid stability. Therefore, conventional generation sources of the current plant portfolio are needed in the foreseeable future in order to secure supply. However, the conventional fleet will have to be operated more flexibly and will be less utilised than today. Although the current new-build market situation of conventional generation is very difficult,considerable investments are needed because of the ageing power plant fleet. According to analysts, investments in European conventional power plants will have to amount to 1,000 billion € by the year 2030. Besides, storage and grid extension are inevitable when renewables-based power generation is extended. The technologies utilising renewables need innovations and increased economic efficiency. Besides, the entire system has to be stabilised. Optimisation of operation and maintenance are also issues of growing importance.
Finally, all these requirements and developments call for technical and organisational solutions in order to be implemented. Questions about our industry´s approaches to tackling the changes in European power supply, which technologies can solve the problems and which engineering challenges are lying ahead, are the issues of this year´s VGB Congress “Power Plants 2013”.
With our motto
“Security of Supply - From Challenges to Solutions?”
we not only wish to underline the readiness of our industry, but we also want to reveal concrete solutions that can be made by utilities, manufacturers, suppliers and service companies for securing electricity supply, today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.
In our plenary session, we will take up the motto and discuss challenges and solutions of possible electricity market models from the viewpoint of consumers, manufactures and utilities.
We would like to invite you to discuss in the technical sessions “Security of Supply: A Common European Challenge”, “Technical Solutions for our Future Electricity Generation”, “Operational Experience as a Key Competence” and “Thinking ahead: Projects and Visions 2020+” with more than 30 international experts, who will deliver their papers.
With Maastricht as venue of the VGB Congress 2013, it is emphasised that electricity generation will become even more a common European task. Maastricht is not border town between the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, but with the Euregio Maas-Rhine it sets a sign for common Europe. The “Maastricht Treaty Establishing the European Community”, signed in Maastricht in 1992, has been until then the largest political steps towards European integration. The cosmopolitan character of the city is also demonstrated by the fact that Maastricht is the domicile of international organisations and companies and that numerous students from all over the world study at the university and academy of fine arts and design. With some 1,660 buildings with preservation order and roots that go back to Celtic times, Maastricht is also an important centre in terms of culture and history. Traditional ceramics and basic materials industry are main businesses of the city and region.
With our motto “Security of Supply - From Challenges to Solutions?” and the attractive side programme of our Congress, we will focus on your interests. Take the opportunity to discuss future developments and solutions with international representatives of the electricity industry and learn more about the future trends of our industry. VGB is the European technical association for electricity and heat generation and provides the platform to shape and influence secure, environmentally compatible and economically efficient future electricity supply.
We are looking forward to welcoming you at the VGB Congress “Power Plants 2013” in Maastricht and to your contributions at the European meeting place of the energy industry.