Essen, February 13, 2020
Exhibitors with numerous innovations for fossil-free energy supply
On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, Europe's leading trade fair for the energy industry once again presented itself as the driving force for the industry. At E‑world energy & water, 813 exhibitors - a new record - from 25 nations showed the once more over 25,000 visitors their innovations around the energy supply. At Messe Essen, it became clear: Whether international group, regional energy supplier or start-up, they are all backing a smart and green energy turnaround. For three days, experts from the economy, politics and associations exchanged views on opportunities and challenges and informed themselves about new solutions.
"It was a very successful E-world," said Oliver P. Kuhrt, CEO of Messe Essen. "The industry is looking for and finding tangible solutions for the energy supply of the future in Essen. 74 percent of the trade visitors are decision-makers. This underlines the importance of E‑world for the European energy sector." Dr. Niels Ellwanger, CEO of con|energy ag: "The high proportion of decision-makers shows that E‑world has exactly the right experts who can press ahead with the energy turnaround. With the topics called Smart Cities & Climate Solutions, the fair has set the focal points which move the energy industry."
Above all, digital solutions in focus
The decisive topic at E‑world was the energy revolution. The energy supply of the future should be safe, green and affordable. At the trade fair, companies showed how producers and consumers can be efficiently networked with each other to minimize energy consumption. These included intelligent control systems for energy supply companies, flexible battery storage or adapters for water or electricity meters which transmit data to smartphones simply and conveniently. The exhibits on display also included smart street lamps with W‑LAN functions, carbon dioxide measuring devices, parking space displays and e‑bike charging functions. North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, said on the first day of the fair: "E‑world is the perfect place to experience technologies and solutions for the future energy system today."
Many companies showed what possibilities there are for a fossil-free future in which alternative drives and new fuels will become more important. E.ON and Volkswagen presented a new ultra-fast charging system for e-cars. Markus Nitschke, Communication and Political Affairs at E.ON SE: "E.ON is looking back on a successful trade fair participation. We have implemented our motto by getting connected with many customers. Vattenfall placed its trade fair appearance under the motto of a fossil-free energy supply within one generation. In the E‑world press conference, Vattenfall's CEO, Magnus Hall, mentioned, among other things, the world's first pilot plant for fossil-free steel production using hydrogen. Another key topic on many of the stands related to long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for operators of renewable energy plants."
Trade fair as a platform for young companies
Once more, over 25,000 visitors from 25 nations obtained information at E‑world. They came from energy suppliers, public utilities and service companies. They were particularly interested in the new products. They found them, above all, in the Innovation exhibition area which was larger than ever before with 130 exhibitors. Here, young companies, research institutions and start-ups presented their ideas for tomorrow's energy supply. Lars Overdiek, Managing Director of Sprungwerk: "We were at E-world for the first time this year and are delighted. Here, we were able to introduce our company and our process services to interested parties in an initial brief technical discussion and are now expecting good post-fair business." Speed dating also provided valuable contacts between company founders and interested investors. The organizers of the trade fair also paid special attention to the new generation of industry professionals. Thus, the Career Forum on the Thursday of the fair brought students, graduates and young professionals together with companies.
Conferences provided further approaches for the energy turnaround
Important impulses were also provided by the high-caliber supporting program. At the congress accompanying the trade fair, experts shared their knowledge, including that on topics such as "Hydrogen - Solutions for the Energy Turnaround", "Decarbonization of Heat Generation" and "Glass Fiber". The North Rhine-Westphalia Energy Agency (EANRW) Congress with around 700 German and international participants kicked off the first day of the fair. The EANRW Managing Director, Dr. Frank-Michael Baumann: "The main topic this year was the significance of energy solutions for Smart Cities. This requires integrated supply concepts which consider electricity, heat and mobility together. The 24th Future Energies Conference staged by the North Rhine-Westphalia Energy Agency took a comprehensive look at the topic and contributed to the broad networking of decision-makers for sustainable energy solutions for cities." In addition, there were lectures and discussions in the topic-specific forums called "Smart Tech", "Innovation", "Energy Transition" and "Trading & Finance" directly in the exhibition halls.
Exhibitors and visitors highly motivated to visit again
Visitors gave this comprehensive and forward-looking combination of a trade fair and a congress top marks. 94 percent praised the presence of the market leaders. The leading trade fair confirmed its attractiveness on a European level: almost one in five visitors came from outside Germany. Guests from Great Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands were particularly well-represented. Participants from Israel, Sweden, Kuwait and Cuba, among others, came to the Day of Consulates on the Wednesday of the fair. 92 percent of the visitors and 96 percent of the exhibitors also intend to take part in the next E-world energy & water which will be held at Messe Essen from February 9 to 11, 2021.
E‑world 2020: Figures in detail
E‑world is organized jointly by con|energy and Messe Essen. It registered 813 (2019: 780) exhibitors from 25 (26) nations. Including the projection for the last day of the fair, there were some 24,000 (23,000) registered trade visitors (according to the Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics - FKM). Not only international participants but also, among others, guests of honor, press representatives and influencers attended the extensive supporting program. The proportion of trade visitors was 99 (99) percent.