Exhibitor record of 710 companies and around 25,000 visitors

With new records, E‑world energy & water has highlighted its significance as Europe's leading fair in the energy industry: With 710 (in 2016: 650) exhibitors from 30 nations for the first time, more companies than ever before showed their solutions for the future of the energy sector at Messe Essen from February 7 to 9. The range on offer extended from energy generation via trading, transport and storage right up to efficiency and smart energy. Around 25,000 trade visitors, a plus of four percent, from 74 (71) nations used E‑world for obtaining information, establishing new business contacts and networking.

Oliver P. Kuhrt, CEO of Messe Essen: "At E‑world, the market comes together - and that in a high quality: 77 percent of the trade visitors are decision takers, predominantly from utility companies, service providers, industrial companies and municipal utility companies, and are directly involved in purchases and procurements in their companies." This high-quality visitor structure is directly reflected in the satisfaction of the exhibitors: 96 percent of the companies gave top marks to the quality of the visitors and 97 percent praised the results of their participation in the fair. Dr. Niels Ellwanger, Chairman of con|energy ag: "The participation of all the large exhibitors, numerous newcomers and the political field, too, illustrates: The sector congregates here and the subjects are set here. The dominant factor this year was digitisation with its chances and challenges."

Companies Show New Solutions for the Digitisation of the Energy Sector

On numerous booths, the trade visitors were able to discover new ideas for the future of the energy sector. An e‑mobility cooperation venture between an energy corporation and a car hire company which encompasses a complete package with an electric vehicle including a charging station, a maintenance service and a green electricity tariff gave its premiere at the fair. The other introduced items included a solution for the inspection of photovoltaic installations from the air or also a new standard for the communication in the intelligent electricity mains between the operators of virtual power plants and decentralised technical units such as micro combined heat and power plants.

Smart energy, the networking and control of electricity generation, storage systems and consumers, was the dominant subject of numerous exhibitors. 150 companies presented their solutions in this field alone. Moreover, the fair was an important place for young companies in order to establish contacts to the sector. Over 60 young companies and start-ups introduced their products and services in the joint "E‑world Innovation" area, including a self-learning system for radiator control, a caravan which is completely autarkic thanks to ultramodern biotechnology or also a universal smart meter plug for displaying energy consumption in real time.

Pioneering Apps Honoured

For the second time, particularly pioneering digital solutions were honoured with the Energy App Award. The "ichargesmart App" from the Dutch start-up Jedlix prevailed in the "Customer Benefit" category. With this, users of electric vehicles can specify a point in time when the battery of the vehicle is to be recharged. The Austrian energy supplier Kelag became the winner in the "Future Concept" category with its GreenApp which indicates how energy consumption can be reduced. The smart home solution Smappee was chosen as the winner in the "Jury Category". This system makes energy consumption intelligible. With the aid of additional adapter plugs, the various devices in the house can be controlled centrally using an app.

Strong Value Added by Top-Class Supporting Programme

The specialist supporting programme at E‑world was once more well-visited. In 25 conferences, high-ranking experts from the industrial, political and scientific fields provided information about all aspects of international market developments, sales, trading and energy law. The programme started with the Energy Industry Leadership Meeting on the day before the fair. The speakers here included Rainer Baake, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Hildegard Müller, Network & Infrastructure Director at innogy SE, as well as Jochen Homann, President of the Federal Network Agency.

At the 21st Specialist Congress for "Future Energies" staged by the North Rhine-Westphalia Energy Agency on the first day of the fair, Hannelore Kraft, Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, highlighted the significance of the energy transition and climate protection as driving forces behind progress for Germany's most populous federal state. Thereafter, the event was dedicated to subjects such as the chances and risks of extending the heating network, the future perspectives for the exploitation of wind energy or photovoltaics as a key technology for energy generation in urban spaces.

The first Start-Up Speed Dating event was intended for the future generation in the energy sector. E‑world and the energieloft innovation network gave company founders the possibility of presenting their concepts in front of potential capital providers, investors or cooperation partners. The Career Forum on the last day of the fair brought students and graduates together with the personnel managers from the energy industry and also went down well.

During the Consulates Day on the first day of the fair, around 75 ambassadors, consuls general, consuls, economic attachés as well as employees of international representative offices, economic development companies and chambers of foreign trade obtained information about how the energy transition can be organised on the international level. The field of participants was extremely international: Registrations were received from Australia, Cameroon and China via Georgia, Hungary, Jamaica and Japan right up to Rwanda and Tanzania. Delegations from Serbia and Afghanistan also paid visits to the trade fair.

High Revisit Intentions Amongst Exhibitors and Visitors

Exhibitors and trade visitors were highly satisfied with E‑world energy & water 2017. The visitors praised the presence of the market leaders and the range on offer at the fair; 93 percent of them will recommend the fair and want to revisit the next E‑world. Moreover, 95 percent of the exhibitors now already indicated that they would participate in the next E‑world which will take place at Messe Essen from February 6 to 8, 2018.

E‑world 2017: Figures in Detail

E-world is jointly organised by Messe Essen and con|energy ag. It recorded 710 (in 2016: 650) exhibitors from 30 (22) nations. The proportion of foreign exhibitors was 20 (18) percent. Also including the forecast for the last day of the fair, around 22,000 registered trade visitors came to Messe Essen. The proportion of foreign trade visitors was 21 (18) percent. The comprehensive supporting programmes were visited not only by international participants but also, amongst others, by guests of honour, press representatives, municipal representatives and sponsors. The trade visitor proportion was 98.8 (99.2) percent.

Exhibitors' Opinions:

Dr. Karsten Wildberger, Member of the Board, E.ON:

"For customers, manufacturers, associations and us as an energy company, E‑world is a fantastic platform in order to exchange ideas about market trends, innovative technologies and business models. E.ON has focused on the subject of e‑mobility and, for the first time, has introduced the cooperation ventures with Sixt Leasing and BMW. In press conferences on the E.ON fair booth, the company announced the partnership with the Danish e‑mobility company Clever for setting up a quick charging network all over Europe. In another press conference, E.ON and Radisson Blu introduced the installation of a fuel cell power plant in the chain's hotel in Frankfurt."

Nicholas Neu, Corporate Communication Manager, WINGAS GmbH:

"This year, too, we are very satisfied with our appearance at E‑world energy & water. Particularly on Tuesday and Wednesday, we had a lot of discussions with customers and interested parties on our booth. It is conspicuous that ever more international visitors are using the fair. Also for this reason, E‑world is and will remain the most important trade fair for us."

Tobis Lackermeier, Key Account Manager Direct Sales, Honeywell / Smart Energy Elster Solutions GmbH:

"E‑world 2017 was convincing due to an exceptional mood of a new beginning and high dynamism. On our fair booth, we were able to establish an excellent visitor quality with a high international proportion - the crème de la crème of the sector was represented. We were able to hold a lot of valuable discussions with our target groups. The smart meter rollout proved to be a distinct trend this year: The starting signal for marketing has finally been given in this field! For us, E‑world energy & water is a lighthouse event and a permanent fixture in the year. Therefore, we will probably be involved again in 2018, too."

Dualta Redmond, Global Communications Manager, Gazprom Marketing & Trading Ltd (GM&T):

"We found this year's E-world event to be extremely successful. It is always the highlight of our conference calendar as it allows our traders, analysts and credit colleagues to begin the year by meeting with existing counterparties and customers, while also forging new relationships. GM&T looks forward to building on its successes of the last year, working in close collaboration with its partners and customers to deliver value to its parent company, PAO Gazprom."

Ralf Oelschlegel, Marketing / Public Relations, Thüga SmartService GmbH:

"This year, we have been able to hold even more discussions than in 2016. What turned out to be extremely positive in this respect is the astonishingly high quality of the appointments. Because there is a lot to do for the 'solution world of the smart meter rollout': In particular, the IT security, the gateway administration as well as the metering point operation are this year's trailblazing subjects for us - and our visitors. E‑world is a permanent fixture in the annual calendar of our company. Almost all of our 250 customers are visitors to the fair. It is all the more important to have a platform here in order to establish new contacts and to hold discussions with existing customers. We are very grateful for that and will also continue to be convincing with a good presence."

Malte Gloth, Head of the Energy Management West Division and Manager of the Siemens Branch in Cologne, Siemens AG:

"This year, too, E‑world was, for Siemens, again the right platform for exchanging opinions about subjects such as decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitisation. The intensive discussions about concrete approaches and ideas will provide us with inspiration during the development of innovative solutions for the energy system of the future. We will see each other at E‑world 2018!"

Constantin Joannou-Römer, Sales Manager - South Sales, Hermann Pipersberg jr. GmbH:

"Enthusiasm! Our expectations with regard to E‑world energy & water 2017 were met in full. Already on the first day of the fair, we were able to hold a lot of interesting and expedient discussions. In this respect, we registered a high visitor quality on our booth without exception. This year, there was strong demand, above all, for our products and services from the field of 'smart metering'. Intelligent gas meters and digital meter management are trailblazing trends which have earned a permanent place in the spectrum of subjects at E‑world. Our presence at this year's E‑world was very important to us - and it has been worthwhile!"

Dr. Frank-Michael Baumann, Managing Director, North Rhine-Westphalia Energy Agency:

"With around 800 German and international participants as well as with the opening by Hannelore Kraft (Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia), our 21st Specialist Congress for Future Energies was the successful kick-off event at the 17th E‑world energy & water in Essen in 2017. The main subject areas at the specialist congress and the expert forums were the cross-sectoral transformation of the energy system, the chances and risks of extending the heating network as well as the future perspectives for wind energy and photovoltaics in North Rhine-Westphalia. There was particular interest in the last two because the energy transition will only function with the intensive exploitation of solar and wind energy."

Dr. Frank Voßloh, Managing Director, Viessmann Deutschland GmbH:

"With our fuel cell heating appliance, the electricity storage device and the bio energy village equipped with our systems, we have shown an excerpt from the complete range offered by Viessmann for all the energy carriers and areas of application and have held a lot of interesting discussions. This year, too, E‑world has again proven to be an excellent platform for manufacturers and customers to exchange ideas."

Jeannine Petry, Marketing Officer, InnoEnergy:

"The European company InnoEnergy is investing in innovative sustainable energy solutions. This year, we were present as an exhibitor at E-world for the first time and can make an entirely positive assessment. We showed a total of eight of our start-ups and projects which introduced their solutions, e.g. for smart homes, energy efficiency and energy-autarkic living. In particular, our foreign start-ups were able to establish a large number of relevant contacts with potential customers and investors in the German market"

Frédéric Gastaldo, Co-Founder & CEO, tiko | Swisscom Energy Solutions AG:

"We from tiko have experienced three very active days and are totally satisfied with our participation. E‑world 2017 is the second international appearance for us as a Swiss company. We already took part in E‑world last year and, as a result of the good experience, arrived at the fair with an enlarged appearance this year: In the last few days, we were able to greet visitors to our enlarged fair booth with even more personnel. We encountered all our target groups. In the meantime, E‑world has found a permanent place in our calendar. Therefore, we will take part in it again next year, too."

Etienne Petit, Country Director, Veolia Deutschland:

"For us, E‑world was once more the decisive platform in order to present our wide spectrum of resource solutions and services for municipalities and industry. This year, the discussions focused on the subjects of digitisation and dynamic energy efficiency controlling. We have been able to show what contribution Veolia is making in Germany and internationally in order to combine economic viability and climate protection and how we are helping industrial and commercial companies to reduce their CO2 footprints. For Veolia as one of the world's leading protagonists in the recycling industry, energy efficiency is an important constituent of resource efficiency."

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