Time for redesign - VGB PowerTech's homepage shows its new look

VGB PowerTech presents its new homepage on the internet. The redesign of vgb.org provides:

• a dynamical design with visual elements,
• increased options for news,
• a clearly separated presentation of up-to-date VGB events.

The new homepage offers:

• the well-proven navigation based on the six menu items plus the member access to “myVGB” and our powerful search engine,
• dynamic sliders with the most important news,
• more frequently changing news and selected industry news from the VGB PowerTech Journal coming soon,
• all up-to-date VGB events with expressive pictures and focus,
• enhanced information on new publications of the VGB publishing house,
• a compact presentation of the advantages of the VGB membership,
• our competence areas with direct links to the VGB technical committees.

Two icons accompany you on the right side of the screen, leading with one click to the VGB Newsletter and the VGB Online shop. Test the new homepage also on your smartphone or tablet!

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There are still free places! Register now for the Workshop Materials and Quality Assurance

The Workshop "Materials and Quality Assurance" takes place in Maria Enzersdorf, Austria hosted by EVN AG.

Aim of the workshop is to present new findings about advanced materials and quality assurance aspects. The main topics are:

• Lifetime Assessment, Flexibility, Periodic Inspections,
• Materials and Components,
• Modern Welding Technologies,
• Quality Assurance, Damages.

The workshop is aimed at manufacturers, planners, operators, insurers and experts interested in technology and its environment, researcher, authorities and associations.

We also offer to visit the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Zwentendorf. The evening event on 18 May 2017 takes place in Vienna During the evening event you can establish business contacts or strengthen existing business contacts. We look forward to seeing you in Maria Enzersdorf/Vienna, Austria.

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Information Security for power generating plants – Implementation of the German IT security law

The German IT security law was approved on 25 July 2015; the regulation for “Critical Infrastructure” followed on 3 May 2016 and essentially comprises:

• Definition of critical infrastructure: generation > 420 MW per site, respectively the central control stations when combining smaller systems,
• Expanded reporting obligations,
• Certification according to IT security catalogue on the basis of an Information Security Management System (ISMS) according to ISO 27001.

After the publication of the IT security catalogue for energy systems (power plants), which will take place in 2017, the deadline begins until proof of the certification.

On 16 March 2017 a meeting of the Project Group (PG) "VGB Coordination IT Security Law" took place as an extended workshop, in which representatives of the TG “Instrumentation and Control”, the TG "Plant Management and Technical IT" and the PG "IT-Security in Hydropower“ attended. With 40 participants, the meeting received a very good feedback and showed that VGB is an appropriate platform for the exchange of information in the field of information security.

Individual companies presented the status of the preparation or introduction of ISMS or gave an overview on the technical and organizational measures, which have been taken to improve the IT security. Especially when defining the scope for the ISMS, a huge need for discussion resulted.

VGB/KSG offer a free-of-charge information event on 28 June 2017, which will present the “Implementation of management systems according to ISO 27001 for KRITIS operators of the energy industry”.

Beginning with the 2nd half of 2017, IT consulting and auditing according to ISO 27001 can be carried out by VGB/KSG with support of an experienced lead auditor for the energy sector.

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VGB Innovation Award 2017 - Call for Proposals

The VGB Innovation Award honours outstanding performance of young university graduates working in the field of power and heat generation (age limit: 35 years). The work that is to be honoured in this way can relate either to innovation in the operation of power and heat generation plants, or to important new findings in research.

The VGB Innovation Award of the VGB Research Foundation is endowed with 10,000 € and is presented on the occasion of the VGB Congress POWER PLANTS - “Generation in Competition” 2017.

Based on the award guideline, all VGB member companies as well as the members of the Scientific Advisory Board of VGB have the right to propose candidates. Deadline for proposals is April 30, 2017.

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VGB Quality Award 2017: Proposals Welcome

VGB PowerTech invites all ordinary members to propose a supplier, who has delivered a project of outstanding quality, for the VGB Quality Award 2017.

The VGB Quality Award has been established to increase the awareness for the commercial value of quality and to highlight examples of suppliers who have delivered extraordinary quality in services and products. The VGB Quality Award has been extended and is now covering all electricity and heat generation technologies: hydro, wind energy, biomass, biogas, nuclear, oil-, gas- and coal-fired power stations, as well as storage technologies, and all kind of projects: new build, refurbishment, maintenance, or decommissioning.

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Register now for the Conference Gas Turbines and Operation of Gas Turbines 2017

Aim of the conference is to ensure the increasing requirements for gas turbine operation regarding high availability, reliability and efficiency, as well as acceptable lifetime consumption, today and in the future.

The conference is aimed at manufacturers, planners, operators, insurers and experts interested in technology and its environment, researcher, authorities and associations.

The main topics are:

• Energy policy framework,
• Measurements to increase flexibility and their consequences,
• Maintenance and modernization,
• Innovative technology and new products.

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The VGB Congress 2017 is approaching!

The VGB CONGRESS 2017 with its new motto Generation in Competition will take place in the Congress Centre West in Essen, Germany, 13 and 14 September 2017.

The congress for the industry generating and storing power and heat will focus on the joint action of renewable and conventional power generation within the dramatically changing market environments in Germany and Europe.

Political and general topics will be discussed in the plenary session on the first day. The following speakers are already confirmed:

• Frank Klose, Partner Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group, Düsseldorf, Germany
• Christian Ruby, Secretary General, EURELECTRIC, Brüssel, Belgium
• Dr. Sven Heiligtag, Partner, McKinsey Company, Hamburg, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Michael Weinhold, CTO, Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany
• Dr. Marie-Theres Thiell, Senior Vice President Grid Management East/Urban Solutions, innogy SE, Essen, Germany

We are pleased to announce Sonja van Renssen taking the chair of the plenary session again.

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Call for Papers - Submit your lecture for the Conference Chemistry in Power Plants

The conference is a forum for operators of energy utilities and industrial power plants. Operating experience will be discussed and technical developments will be represented in the field of power plant chemistry. The conference will be accompanied by a Foyer Exhibition, which gives exhibitors the opportunity to present their companies and/or products.

Paper submission is open now. The deadline for submitting proposed lectures is 24 May 2017.

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Save-the-date: VGB announces Kickoff-Workshop about Energy Efficiency and Energy Management System ISO 50001

Improving energy efficiency is one of the pillars of the German and European Energy Transition. The execution of energy audits or the implementation of an energy management system according to ISO 50001 is placing a variety of questions and challenges to our members in the energy industry. VGB intends to tackle these issues in the future. In a kickoff-workshop we would like to discuss together with member representatives the general interest in this issue, relevance and priorities of key issues for a future exchange of experience and the way forward to implement this activity within VGB.

The workshop is mainly addressing responsible management staff from our ordinary members managing the implementation of energy efficiency guidelines via energy audits or energy management systems. The workshop is also aiming at our international members and takes place in Germany, Essen, on 20 June 2017.

Main aspects of the workshop will be an introduction into the topic of energy efficiency/energy management systems by Dr. Ralf Uttich (RWE Generation SE) and a moderated group discussion on issues/next steps. Further details of the Agenda will be provided soon.

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VGB PowerTech Journal 1/2 (2017) Focus: VGB Congress “Power Plants 2016”, Leipzig, Germany: Focus on technical papers

Editorial

Christopher Weßelmann

Topics 2017

Some topics:

• Wind farms without subsidies: Challenges and risk for the operator (José Ángel Díaz Álvarez) Download ...
• Overview on nuclear new build projects and global perspectives (Jean-Pol Poncelet)
• Cofiring in sugar mills industry in Columbia (José María Rincón, Marco Aurelio Vera, Pedro Guevara and Sofia Duarte)
• Interaction of renewable & conventional energies – large-scale battery systems as a connecting link (Christian Karalis and Michael Mühl) Download ...

Issue 1-2/2017

VGB PowerTech Journal 3 (2017): Chemistry in power plants; Power plant and power plant fleet management

Editorial

Mehmet Topeli

The sun rises in the East for power plant chemistry

Some topics:

• On-line chemistry monitoring concept at ESKOM (Ken Galt)
• The value of flexibility for fossil-fired power plants under the conditions of the Strommarkt 2.0 (Sascha Lüdge) Download ...
• Regeneration of SCR catalysts (Anne Wiesel, Anja Schuster and Herwig Maier)
• BAT-associated emission levels for mercury (Alfons Kather)
• 13 years operational experience with a coal fired power plant in the area of chemistry and the challenges ahead (Mehmet Topeli and Ceren Davutluoglu) Download ...

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