Power-Gen Europe, a leading event for the international power industry, has announced details of this year's conference programme and plenary discussion.
Due to take place from 12-14 June 2012 at the Kölnmesse, Cologne, ‘Integrating the power sector' will be the central theme for at this year's conference, which will once again be co-located with Renewable Energy World Europe and Nuclear Power Europe.
Industry experts will deliver an informative programme of strategic, technical, keynote and plenary sessions across seven different tracks. Day one will focus on ‘Strategies for the European power industry' featuring seminars on the new build strategies being adopted across Europe. Throughout the course of the conference, delegates will also have the chance to attend sessions addressing ‘Gas fired power technology', ‘Reducing the carbon footprint of fossil power generation' and the ‘Pathways to integration'. The hot button issues of carbon capture and storage (CCS), smart grids, biomass and plant optimisation will also top the agenda.
This year's joint plenary panel discussion will once again be moderated by BBC interviewer, Stephen Sackur and will focus on German Power Policy – Solution or Illusion? With its provocative title, the debate will offer industry practitioners the chance to voice their opinions about the practical implications of Germany's direction in power generation technology choices and whether these policies could provide a beacon for other European countries.
Invited panellists include: Erland Christensen, VGB PowerTech; Johannes Lambertz, RWE Power; Giuseppe Zampini, Ansaldo Energia; Professor Arthouros Zervos, European Renewable Energy Council; and Hans-Joachim Reck, VKU.
“The integration challenge in Europe is very much underway with a convergence between existing conventional power and the fast growing renewable generation sector,” said Nigel Blackaby, conference director, Power-Gen Europe. “This has sparked a compelling cross-pollination of ideas and best practice on how best to service the evolving energy sector and we are very much looking forward to seeing these discussions develop at the conference.”
Also announcing their respective conference programmes as part of the Power-Gen exhibition are Nuclear Power Europe and Renewable Energy World Europe.
For the former, ‘Serving the Nuclear sector' will be the central theme for this year's conference and industry experts will deliver a programme of strategic, technical, keynote and plenary sessions that will address the benefits of nuclear power within a balanced energy mix.
Thought provoking panel discussions on' Investing in Nuclear' and ‘Update and Implications of the European Stress Tests' will feature across the show and will be co -chaired by Ulla Pettersson, e for energy Management Consulting and Stefan Hatt of ABB. Sessions on ‘Moving on from Fukushima', ‘Challenges & Opportunities in Decommissioning' and ‘Overcoming Challenges for New Build' will also top the agenda and are anticipated to spark compelling delegate discussions.
“A key element of Nuclear Power Europe will be to bridge the gap between the past, present and future of nuclear energy in Europe”, says Mathilde Sueur, conference manager, Nuclear Power Europe. “The industry is undergoing a fundamental change and our conference sessions, particularly those shaped around looking ahead – ‘Integrating New NPP Technologies' and ‘Solutions for Upgrading & Refurbishment - will offer delegates the chance to appreciate the big picture and truly engage with the direction the industry is heading.”
Renewable Energy World Europe's conference programme and plenary discussion will be centred around the theme of ‘Integrating the renewables sector'.
The programme will comprise two conference tracks – integration and renewable. The Integration track will feature sessions on ‘Pathways to Integration', ‘Storage', ‘Smart Grids' and ‘Infrastructure Management & Grid Development'. While on the Renewable track, ‘The Race for Solar Success', ‘Renewable Energy Policy & Finance', ‘Roads to a Wind Powered Europe', ‘Water Power' and ‘Bioenergies', will be hot topic issues at the top of the agenda.
“Germany has been a global leader in renewable energy for two decades so nowhere will this year's key theme of ‘Integrating the renewables sector' have more prominence,” states David Appleyard, conference director, Renewable Energy World Europe. “Flexible solutions that enable integration of variable renewables and conventional power are now being brought to market the discussions will provide invaluable information on how to service the evolving energy sector.”
Power-Gen Europe
www.powergeneurope.com
Nuclear Power Europe
www.nuclearpower-europe.com
Renewable Energy World Europe
www.renewableenergyworld-europe.com
