The world’s biggest power generation exhibition starts November 27 in Orlando
By David Wagman, Managing Editor
Get Ready says it all.
Get ready for a renaissance in nuclear energy as the industry powers forward with next-generation designs and plans for new capacity. Get ready for a new wave of clean-coal baseload capacity, whether it comes in the form of pulverized coal, ultra-critical or integrated gasification combined cycle.
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Get ready for more wind and biofuel capacity additions and for technology breakthroughs all across the renewable energy spectrum. Get ready for new technology and strategies aimed at keeping gas-fired units competitive and viable.
Get ready to join the 16,000 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors who will converge on Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center for POWER-GEN International 2006, November 27-30.
Competitive Power College
It all starts Monday, November 27 with a challenging selection of courses offered through the Competitive Power College. Brush up on skills or learn latest techniques by registering for these expert-led courses. Topics include power plant pressure and temperature instrumentation; turbine generator failure prevention; steam turbine modifications, upgrades and economics; thermal performance program development; power plant construction management; business finance; electrostatic precipitation; circulating fluidized bed boilers; maintenance strategies; fundamentals of wind energy; power plant air quality decisions; gas turbine power plant combustion dynamics; and basic metallurgy.
If you prefer to Get Ready on the links, this year’s golf tournament tees off on Monday, November 27 at the Pete Dye-designed Eagle Pines Course at Disney World. Reminiscent of a Carolina-style course, Eagle Pines’ broad contoured fairways harmonize well with the surrounding wetlands. The price - $150 a person - includes round-trip transportation from the Orange County Convention Center, green and cart fees, range balls, continental breakfast, lunch buffet and prizes.
Those who prefer to spend that Monday morning taking a technical tour can sign up for a tour of the Cane Island Power Park, jointly owned and built by Kissimmee Utility Authority and the Florida Municipal Power Agency. The facility is a textbook example of meeting growing demand for power while maintaining a wildlife and wetlands preservation area. The plant consists of a 40 MW simple cycle combustion turbine, a 120 MW combined cycle unit and a 250 MW duel fuel combined cycle unit. Unit 3 is equipped with a bypass stack and damper to allow simple cycle operation. The $50 cost of the two-hour tour includes round-trip transportation from the Orange County Convention Center.
One of POWER-GEN International’s first gala social events comes Monday evening beginning at 6:00 p.m. with the annual Power Engineering Projects of the Year Awards banquet. Plan to attend as one of the power generating industry’s most prestigious awards is presented by Power Engineering magazine’s editors to the year’s most noteworthy nuclear, coal, natural gas and renewable energy projects.
Tuesday morning, Get Ready for what could be one of the most dynamic POWER-GEN International Keynote Sessions ever. Leading off the session “Thinking Globally, Building Locally,” will be Steve Bolze, Vice President of Power Generation for GE Energy. Bolze began his career with GE in 1993 as Manager of Mergers and Acquisitions, then served as Manager of Competitive Strategies and product line leader for large steam turbines. He has also been President and General Manager of Energy Management Services and, most recently, was President and CEO of GE Healthcare International before rejoining GE Energy in his present capacity.
Following Bolze will be William Rohner, Vice President of the Electric Power Division of Caterpillar. Rohner joined Caterpillar in 1972 and has held executive positions with the company in Japan and Brazil, where he was Managing Director of Caterpillar Brasil Ltd. In addition to the power sector, Rohner has held leadership positions in Caterpillar’s Track-Type Tractors Division and in the Transmission Business Unit.
Rounding out PGI’s keynote session will be Michael Childers, CEO of Generation Development for TXU, where he is responsible for one of the most ambitious generation capacity expansions in recent power industry history. The company has announced plans to build more than 9 GW of new coal-based capacity and 2 to 6 GW of new nuclear capacity. During most of his 20 years in the power industry, Childers has focused on project development, finance, mergers and acquisitions. He was most recently Executive Vice President of The Shaw Group and was President of Shaw’s Stone & Webster subsidiary. While at Entergy, he reestablished the company in the asset acquisition, development and ownership business in the U.S. and abroad. He also reestablished Edison Mission Energy in the North, Central and South American markets.
Following the Keynote Session at 11:30 a.m. the exhibit floor opens. Get Ready to be wowed by the 1,000+ exhibitors who make this exhibition World Class in every sense of the word. Don’t delay hitting the floor as POWER-GEN International this year triples your chance to win a fabulous Exhibit Floor Giveaway prize. You can win a brand new 2007 Lexus IS, Sea Doo or a complete computer system. Qualifying is easy: simply take your entry card to all sponsoring companies, have it stamped and return it to the PennWell booth by 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 30.
You may need a clone to take in all the insights from the seven conference tracks offered at this year’s POWER-GEN International, beginning Tuesday, November 28 at 1:30 p.m. and extending through Thursday, November 30 at 3:30 p.m. Get Ready for dynamic and stimulating conference sessions.
Industry Trends/Competitive Power Generation
Key topics include climate change-driven business strategies, the future role of independent power producers, the challenge of managing generation assets amid changing market and operating conditions, modernizing infrastructure and the very latest on power industry business trends. Look for sessions on climate change business strategies, generation strategies, the role for independent power producers and issues related to generation infrastructure.
Environmental Issues
Complying with environmental rules and regulations demands 24/7 attention. These tracks cover the latest environmental trends related to sulfur dioxide control, nitrogen oxide control, mercury control, FGD operations and water and wastewater issues. Look for sessions on advances in mercury control, flue gas desulphurization operating experience, FGD retrofit decision-making and selective catalytic reduction operating experience.
Fossil Technologies
One word says it all: “Coal.” Seldom has the buzz around the fuel been louder. And with good reason: IGCC, supercritical/ultracritical combustion, FutureGen all point to coal’s bright future as a 21st century fuel. Look for conference sessions on advanced clean coal technology, new coal plants and technology considerations and coal-fired boiler optimization strategies.
Gas Turbine Technologies
Gas turbines remain vitally important in the power generation mix. Key focus issues involve lifetime extension, technology innovations and fuel flexibility. Look for conference sessions on gas turbine O&M issues and innovations in combined cycle technology.
Emerging/Renewable Technologies
Two high profile renewable winners, wind and waste-to-energy, provide the technology focus for this session. A panel of experts provides practical tips and strategies for moving an array of alternative energy to market. Look for conference sessions focusing on issues related to wind energy development, the re-emerging waste-to-energy industry and current issues related to economics and finance.
On-Site Power
On-site power represents a sizeable market for power generators; projects that range from microgeneration to mega-CHP. Expect a timely briefing on topics such as project economics, reliability, technology, partnership structures, revenue-producing opportunities and maximizing efficiency. Learn how to assemble the right combination of partners, economical fuel and CHP technology to “solve” the CHP puzzle. Learn the latest on economics, potential pitfalls and equipment options.
Plant Performance
Technology and equipment aren’t the only factors affecting plant performance: workforce issues are growing in importance. These sessions get to the heart of some of the “hard” and “soft” issues, with discussions on boiler combustion optimization, electrical I&C technologies, workforce development and more. Look for conference sessions focused on: gas turbine combined cycle power augmentation and performance testing; heat recovery steam generator operation, reliability and life cycle; workforce development; electrical I&C technologies; boiler combustion optimization; and steam turbine and generator efficiency, availability and reliability improvements.
Highlighted Issues
The spotlight shines on three sessions that focus on topics with broad appeal across multiple industry segments. Highlighted issues cover emissions, energy storage and fuel and ash handling systems.
Hot Topic Mega Sessions
A trio of the industry’s most pressing issues is the subject of three high-impact Mega Sessions. The sessions will run simultaneously from 9:30 to 11:30 on Thursday, November 30.
Gasification and Synfuels - Perhaps no topic is hotter in today’s power industry than the production of synfuels, primarily from coal and petcoke, using gasification and other technologies. This mega-session panel discusses current trends in coal gasification and synthetic fuel production. Topics will include tar sands synfuel production, synthetic natural gas for pipelines, and the refueling of existing combined cycle power plants with syngas and air-blown gasification technologies.
The Nuclear Renaissance: Straight Talk From the Customer - What was stone-cold for more than two decades is red-hot again: namely, the prospects for new nuclear units being built in the U.S. and elsewhere. Executives from four leading nuclear utilities will offer mega-session attendees updates on plans for new nuclear generation and discuss what must happen for them to commit to building them.
Large Frame Gas Turbine Update: This here-and-now session focuses on a critical segment of the existing generating fleet and ways for gas-fired turbines to operate more efficiently and more competitively. This session will cover the status of fleet operations, performance of major machine classes, fleet issues, forthcoming performance improvements and new products.
Networking Big and Small
As it does every year, POWER-GEN International offers a complete spectrum of networking opportunity, from its social reception, to its golf outing, to casual breakfasts where you can chat and share ideas with peers.
Networking breakfasts will be offered Wednesday and Thursday morning from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tables are set aside for specific topics such as gas turbines, renewable energy, heat recovery steam generators, distributed generation and O&M. Participants can spend all their time at one table or move from one to another.
This year’s Power Engineering Networking Reception takes place Wednesday, November 29, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. near the POWER-GEN International exhibit floor at the Orange County Convention Center. A popular tradition, the Power Engineering Networking Reception offers one of the industry’s premier networking opportunities, designed to connect attendees with the business leaders they most want to meet. The reception is free of charge to all Energy Provider Program participants and all international delegates. Cost to all other registered attendees in $40 a person.
As it has for the past two years, POWER-GEN International will make available a valuable sales contact opportunity to companies wishing to access foreign markets. The U.S. Department of Commerce International Buyer Program will bring its Global Business Center to PGI. The on-site Global Business Center will provide PGI delegates and exhibitors with a useful array of services to establish international business relationships including translation assistance, matchmaking services, conference rooms, business services, market information and trade lead assistance.
Get Ready for a POWER-GEN International to remember.
Win a Lexus IS!
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New this year at POWER-GEN International, the exhibit floor giveaway will feature a 2007 Lexus IS, plus the chance to win a Sea Doo watercraft or a complete computer system including monitor, keyboard and hard drive. Entering is easy. Simply take your entry card to all sponsoring companies, get it stamped and return it to the PennWell booth by 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 30 for your chance to win!