Thorsten Herdan, Managing Director VDMA Power Systems, said: “The new plant business in the biogas sector has admittedly declined distinctly, but in its place the replacement plant business has become an important pillar for the first time. For many companies, export has now become a key pillar of business. In addition, more business models to make the installations more flexible and market the electricity directly are being discussed. The natural gas market remains at a stable level and is carried by the expectations of natural gas resources in the USA.”
The exhibitors are demonstrating great satisfaction thanks to the dynamic developments in the new business fields. Throughout the exhibition expectations were surpassed by far. There were many interesting talks with customers at national and international level. Although the interest in new plants is somewhat lower, demand is increasingly moving in the direction of service and replacement plant business. There is also a clear need for information in the direction of new marketing strategies, such as direct marketing and use of energy balancing markets.
The forums with their thematic areas of “Bioenergy – Technology and Service”, “Decentralised Energy Supply2 and “Smart Energy” were very well received. Thorsten Herdan: “Especially the priority area Smart Energy provides information on such important themes as needs-driven energy generation, virtual power stations and load management. The forums make a major contribution to improving understanding between the actors along the value chain, starting with farmers and forest managers and going right through to municipal energy supply companies.”
Thorsten Herdan sees the exhibition to be a major success for energy installation builders in the VDMA: “This year, BioEnergy Decentral was once again the international platform for decentralised energy supply. The successful troika of DLG, the Association of Local Utilities (VKU) and VDMA Power Systems has once again succeeded in developing this innovative specialist exhibition further and anchoring it as international forum for the decentralized energy supply industry in Germany.”
BioEnergy Decentral was held from 13 to 16 November 2012 parallel with EuroTier in Hanover. By comparison with the last exhibition numbers have increased substantially once again. With almost 700 exhibitors from 24 countries, exhibitor figures grew by around 20 per cent. The share of international visitors grew by 12 per cent. Total visitor numbers also rose to 42,000, making BioEnergy Decentral the largest event of the industry. Visitors meet providers and companies from all branches of the entire value chain surrounding bioenergy and decentralized energy supply, starting from raw material provision and processing, on through component manufacturers and complete providers, right up to the operators and direct marketing specialists.
Adaptation to currently valid market conditions on the domestic market and across frontiers is the basis for retaining German industry’s strong position on the world market. Thorsten Herdan: “The urgently necessary readjustments to the Renewable Energy Act must be well considered in order not to jeopardise the future of the bioenergy sector. Over-hasty decisions due to the public debate on rising electricity prices would be counter-productive. Through their ability to generate electricity as needed, decentralized supply installations are an important pillar in the turnaround in energy policy. If politicians understand the challenges of joint implementation of the new energy approach as an opportunity, we will have achieved our target.”
About VDMA Power Systems
The Power Systems Association in the VDMA is the information and communications platform for manufacturers of wind power and hydropower systems, fuel cells, gas/steam turbines and facilities and motor/engine facilities for all areas of the industries, such as energy policy, legislation, market analysis, measuring, norming, standardizing, and press and public relations work.
Source: eurotier.com
