POWER-GEN Europe 2012

Integration integral to the future of European power generation

Twentieth POWER-GEN Europe opens with keynote speeches from leading power industry experts

Koelnmesse, Cologne, 12th June, 2012 – The POWER-GEN Europe Conference and Exhibition and its co-located shows Nuclear Power Europe and Renewable Energy World Europe opened with keynote sessions from three influential players in the power industry sharing their views on the future of European energy to a packed conference hall.

Conference Director, Nigel Blackaby, welcomed visitors and highlighted how much the industry has evolved since the inaugural POWER-GEN Europe was held in Paris in 1993. Back then, he said, there were only 100 exhibitors; today, the Koelnmesse hosts over 600.

Laszlo Varro, head of the IEA’s Gas, Coal and Power Division, focused his presentation on the challenges of the electricity industry from a European perspective. He predicts significant growth for the renewable sector but warns that the industry will need to work hard to address issues such as growing demand, storage and supply.

Varro was followed by Bernhard Fischer, CEO of E.ON Generation GmbH, who talked about the energy industry in Germany and the impact of the ‘Energiewiende’. The industry is evolving rapidly he told the audience, with flexibility being key to future success. He also argued that although Energiewiende is not technically impossible, it must be approached in the right way to be successful – calling for coordination, time, money and acceptance.

Finally, Michael Süβ, CEO of Siemens Energy Sector, Germany, shared his views on the future of the energy industry. He warned that Europe represents only 7 per cent of the world population, so it cannot operate in isolation if it is to remain competitive with the rest of the world. He also argued that energy demand and the portfolio of each country is very different, therefore one delivery model will not fit all.