Global power sector to tackle tomorrow's tough challenges at World Energy Congress

SEOUL & LONDON, 19th September 2013: Uncertainty over the future of the coal industry, rising global energy demands and climate change measures will be high on the agenda at the 22nd World Energy Congress, taking place this October in Daegu, South Korea.

Delegates attending the most prestigious energy event of the year will hear from the world’s leading utility and power company CEOs, including:

 

Also contributing to the debate will be government ministers from critical power markets such as Russia, South Africa, Spain, India, Korea, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia. They will provide vital insights into market dynamics and emerging market designs as the triennial World Energy Congress provides a unique opportunity to take a global view on pressing and long-term energy issues. As the power sector continues to address many urgent challenges to ensure secure and sustainable future supplies, the Congress will examine issues across the power spectrum ranging from the state of nuclear energy after Fukushima to energy security, power transmission and innovation.

Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, said:

“This is a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the energy sector. Energy demand will continue to increase, driven by non-OECD economic growth, but the pressure to develop and transform the energy system further is immense. To make the challenge more daunting, the decisions that policymakers and business leaders must take on our future energy infrastructure are required today.

“CEOs of utilities are seeing great dynamism in investment, with cheap natural gas prices delinking from oil prices, collapsing solar prices, uncertainty in carbon prices, and increasing nuclear costs affected by post-Fukushima safety initiatives. What future is there for renewables and nuclear? What new business models will arise? What new market designs will cope with the increasing share of renewables in many electricity markets? How will we secure the much-needed long-term investments in a context of such high uncertainty? I look forward to hearing answers to these questions and other topics being debated at our World Energy Congress.”

Hwan-eik Cho, Chairman of the World Energy Congress 2013 Organizing Committee and President & CEO, KEPCO commented:

“Korea is at the forefront of development of power delivery technology in Asia and needs to find long term, sustainable solutions in order to meet the energy demand that has grown exponentially over recent decades.  We are very much looking forward to hosting this unique, triennial event which gathers together the major players of the utility and power community at a world class level in Daegu. I believe that we can bring our experience to bear in finding innovative new means of securing power supplies for future generations.”

Hans-Wilhelm Schiffer, Senior Manager General Economic Affairs/Science, RWE, Germany added:

“From the rising demand in electricity to the growing use of renewable energies and the presumed strong position of fossil fuels such as coal and gas, the World Energy Congress will address matters of power generation and infrastructure as well as environmental aspects such as CCS, and social equity in the form of access and affordability. It has been a great pleasure to work on the WEC's flagship study, World Energy Scenarios to 2050, and to analyze the greatest trends and developments for power in the global energy context. I look forward to discussing the study and its findings at the 2013 World Energy Congress in Daegu.”

Power and utility issues at the heart of the Congress programme include the following leading sessions:

-       World coal outlook: innovations for tomorrow’s energy
-       The untapped hydro potential
-       Innovative market designs
-       Creating Utilities 2.0: new business models for smart energy
-       Is the nuclear renaissance over?
-       CCUS: making a difference in time?
-       Transition a country in a decade: triggers and lessons
-       Financing tomorrow’s energy
-       Smart Grid: Energizing social innovation
-       Effective international governance on nuclear
-       Renewables: is the honeymoon over?
-       Far Eastern super-grid

 

The World Energy Congress takes place between 13-17 October 2013 at the EXCO Exhibition & Convention Center in Daegu, South Korea.