POWER GEN Europe - BET Aachen

Welcome to POWER-GEN Europe
Nigel Blackaby, Conference Director, POWER-GEN Europe
4 www.powergeneurope.com
Dear Colleagues,
It gives me great pleasure to share with you the conference programme for POWER-GEN Europe 2012 and to
cordially invite you to Cologne this coming June for the 20th staging of this important annual industry event.
The conference Advisory Board has chosen ‘Integrating the Power Sector’ as its theme for this year’s event and
has been working closely with the Boards for the two co-located events, Renewable Energy World Europe and
Nuclear Power Europe to create a unique conference that truly addresses this highly topical and crucial subject.
Addressing the challenges of integrating the fast growing amount of intermittent and distributed generation
capacity into the existing power system is a high priority for the industry. It has big implications for grid system
operation, the �exibility of existing and new generation and storage technologies. Plus, integration is one of the
main themes of European power policy as the Commission strives to build a single European power market.
Alongside this theme, POWER-GEN Europe can be relied upon to deliver strategic and technical conference
sessions across all aspects of fossil fuel technology, with considerable emphasis on emissions control and
e�ciency in plant operation. With delegates also entitled to attend sessions in the Renewable Energy World
Europe and Nuclear Power Europe conferences, these three days represent a truly comprehensive insight into the
operation of the power industry of today and tomorrow.
Bringing the industry together to exchange views, learn lessons and encounter new technologies and
experiences is the primary goal of POWER-GEN Europe. Both the conference and exhibition �oor attract the
industry’s leading professionals and key decision makers, whose innovation and expertise are helping to shape
the future of power production and usage. Our Keynote this year features viewpoints from leading �gures from
the European Commission, Pan-European utility E.ON and global equipment and services supplier Siemens. The
not-to-be missed Plenary debate will see ‘Hardtalk’s’ Stephen Sackur grilling a panel of power industry bosses
over the wisdom or otherwise of Germany’s strategy for its electricity sector.
While the current tough economic conditions across Europe are undoubtedly constraining growth, an aging
power plant infrastructure, the need to decarbonise the sector to comply with European directives and the
pressures of operating in competitive cross-border markets mean that new investments in generation and more
e�cient plant operation continue to be made. For those serious about making the most e�ective investments or
getting the best out of their plant and equipment, a visit to POWER-GEN Europe is a must.
In this Pre-Show Guide you will �nd the full conference programme for POWER-GEN Europe and the summary
grids for Renewable Energy World Europe and Nuclear Power Europe. Each event website will post any changes
or additions to the programmes:
www.powergeneurope.com
www.renewableenergyworld-europe.com
www.nuclearpower-europe.com
The guide also provides details of the exhibiting companies, networking opportunities, available technical plant
tours and details of how to register to attend POWER-GEN Europe as a delegate or visitor. Watch out for the
special Earlybird rates and the programme for utility company employees.
I hope you will be able to join the 15,000 power industry professionals that will gather in Cologne 12-14 June and
be part of our 20-year celebration. Back in Paris where it all started for POWER-GEN Europe in 1993, ‘integration’
was also on the agenda but in that case it was co-ordination between Eastern and Western European utilities,
following the break-up of the Soviet Empire. Some things change, but POWER-GEN Europe continues to remain
in the forefront of debate and technology for our industry.
Kind regards,
Nigel Blackaby
Conference Director, POWER-GEN Europe