After last year’s jubilee congress on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of VGB-PowerTech e.V. had to be cancelled due to the pandemic and could only take place as digital event, this year it was possible to hold a presence event again. About 250 participants and exhibitors from Germany and abroad attended this year’s VGB Congress 100 PLUS in the Grand Hall of Kokerei Zollverein in Essen, in compliance with the current corona rules.
As usual at the VGB Congress, this event was again accompanied by a technical exhibition, which was attractively arranged in the Grand Hall. The placement in the centre of the event provided congress participants and 23 exhibitors sufficient opportunities for direct technical exchange, personal conversation and networking.
This year’s opening event of the VGB Congress 100 PLUS was moderated by Julia L. Modenbach, Head of Internal Communications of RWE AG, and opened by the Chairman of the vgbe Board, Dr. Georg Stamatelopoulos.
First, the eagerly awaited new brand identity and the associated new appearance of VGB PowerTech e.V. were presented. VGB becomes vgbe – where vgbe stands for “vision generation benefit”. Behind the new brand there is also a clear call – “be”! vgbe thus sees itself as an active partner of energy supply that moves, inspires, connects and informs. vgbe acts as communicator, bridge and platform for its members in the energy supply of the future. The bold colours of the logos visualise vgbe’s wide range of offers under the new motto “Energy is us” and underline that all technologies and sources of energy for the conversion and storage of electricity and heat are bundled under the vgbe umbrella.
In his opening speech, Dr Stamatelopoulos emphasised the importance of vgbe in tackling the tasks and challenges ahead. The globally increasing demand for electricity is indisputable to achieve climate goals or climate neutrality, while at the same time guaranteeing secure power supply. To achieve these goals, enormous efforts are required in the expansion of renewables to meet the future hydrogen demand of industry, in digitalisation and in the transport sector. In this context, Dr Stamatelopoulos named reliable political framework conditions, the consistent and accelerated expansion of renewables, especially in the on- and off-shore wind sector as well as in solar energy, increased efficiency and the information of a broad public as indispensable prerequisites for achieving the ambitious climate goals.
Dr. Georg Stamatelopoulos
vgbe Chairman
In all areas, vgbe makes a valuable contribution through its independent expertise as technical association of energy plant operators. . vgbe is, according to Dr Stamatelopoulos, renowned worldwide and a strong brand. The association has established knowledge that is constantly being extended and expanded into the areas of renewables, as impressively documented, for example, by the RDSPP© for wind turbines and photovoltaics.
After the opening speech by the vgbe Board Chairman, the opening event continued with greetings from the governing Lord Mayor of the City of Essen, Thomas Kufen (to video recording), and the North-Rhine Westpahlian Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy, Professor Dr. Andreas Pinkwart (to video recording). Both speakers referred to the importance of vgbe, which, now in its 101st year of existence, has always actively accompanied change and transition in the electricity industry and has played a decisive role in shaping the state of the art in electricity and heat generation.
The subsequent presentation of the VGB Awards (to video recording) in the areas of Innovation, Quality and Health and Safety also made clear which impulses emanate from vgbe and how the association promotes innovative ideas to increase occupational and plant safety as well as availability of energy plants and to advance climate protection.
The opening event was rounded off by an interesting and stimulating key note by Professor Dr Ernst Ulrich von Weizäcker, who gave a very impressive presentation entitled “Come on! What we need to change to stay!” Professor von Weizäcker presented approaches to a global future energy supply. In doing so, he spanned the spectrum from Fridays for Future, the development of a circular economy, the decarbonisation of transport through the use of methanol, produced from green hydrogen and captured CO2, to the “budget approach”. According to this approach, the industrialised countries, which have already exhausted the quota of emissions to which they are entitled, should buy emission rights from the developing and newly industrialising countries in order to create incentives in these countries for the use of climate-friendly energy conversion techniques, so that the fossil age is prevented from catching up in these countries.
Professor Dr. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker
The plenary lectures of the first day on “The role of hydrogen in the energy system of the future” and the subsequent discussion looked at the tasks from a scientific, operator and industrial perspective. Different types of hydrogen production and corresponding import routes were presented and discussed. The speakers were of the opinion that the global climate goals can only be achieved with green hydrogen. Furthermore, it was emphasised that the goals can only be achieved jointly and that consensual solutions must be found with all parties involved. (to video recording).
At the evening event, to which the partners and sponsors of this year’s VGB Congress 100 PLUS had invited, the congress participants could end the first congress day in a relaxed atmosphere and refresh existing contacts and make new connections in personal conversations.
On the second day of the congress, presentations were given on the topics “System”, “Renewables”, “Decarbonisation”, “Hydrogen, Security of Supply”, “Digitalisation”, “Power and Heat” and “Storage”. The current problems and tasks were presented from various perspectives, followed by lively discussions.
With visits to the Zollverein coal mine, the coking plant, as well as the Lausward power plant in Düsseldorf and the Deilbachtal energy campus in Essen, the participants were again offered an interesting side-programme.
The guided tours of the Zollverein coal mine and coking plant of the UNESCO world heritage site were particularly well received by the participants. What was once the world’s largest mine for the extraction and refinement of hard coal has lost none of its fascination, even in the age of renewables and hydrogen.
Against the historic backdrop of the Zollverein coking plant, vgbe also came full circle: at this year’s congress, the importance of hydrogen for achieving climate goals was repeatedly emphasised and “hydrogen was described as the coal of the 21st century”. In view of the history of vgbe, whose foundation in 1920 dates back to a momentous boiler explosion at the Reisholz power plant, it becomes clear how vgbe, as technical association of energy plant operators from coal-fired power generation to renewables and hydrogen, moves, inspires, connects and informs its members, thus more than living up to its motto “Energy is us”.
vgbe would like to thank all sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and visitors for their participation in this year’s vgbe Congress, which has once again shown that personal exchange between the stakeholders of the energy industry is very valuable and highly appreciated.
Another major industry meeting is planned for next year. vgbe invites to the vgbe vgbe Congress 2022, which will take place from September 14, 2022 to September 15, 2022 in Antwerp/Belgium with topical lectures, international guests and an attractive supporting programme.
For more information, please visit the new vgbe event platform!
