September 01, 2009 - GridWeek 2009 is an annual four-day gathering of thought leaders from around the world who will focus on addressing the future of the Smart Grid. 
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A year of technology advances, dramatic economic necessity, policy transition, and energy and environmental imperatives culminates at GridWeek 2009 where attendees will explore how the smart grid can energize the economy and build a future of sustainable and reliable energy.
GridWeek 2009, produced by Clasma Events Inc., brings together U.S. and international energy and environmental leaders; policy makers and regulators; utility and smart grid technology companies; the venture community and consumer advocacy stakeholders for a four-day forum from Sept. 21st through the 24th in Washington, D.C.
As a Platinum Sponsor, Siemens Energy, Inc. supports this opportunity for organizations to convene in collaborative sessions with industry leaders. The conference will be held September 21-24 at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC.
On September 21 at the International Summit, Eckardt Guenther, Vice President, Smart Grid, Power Distribution Division, Siemens Energy Sector, will participate in a panel entitled "Driving Reliability and Operational Efficiency." He will present the progress of Smart Grid technologies in Germany and around the world, reinforcing the premise that operational efficiency and reliability serve as the foundation of what makes a grid "smart."
On September 22, Siemens will convene a panel entitled "Grid Operations: Increasing Performance in the Data Storm." Moderated by Rich Wunderlich, VP, North American Business Development, Energy & Utilities, of Siemens IT Solutions, the panel will consist of representatives from Burbank Water & Power, Northeast Utilities, onCOR and Xcel Energy. The panelists will be discussing the need for the strong management of data and the need for a shift in thinking about how the existing grid is operated, restored and controlled in order to successfully increase reliability and efficiency in a Smart Grid implementation. From distribution automation to increased visibility from millions of meter points, this session will focus on how utilities are changing the way their operations groups think and react in the face of new technology and information. This session will also explore the additional training that might be required for crews to work on the grid of the future.
Siemens also will participate in a media luncheon on Monday addressing how standards and infrastructure are the keys to the successful future of Smart Grid development.
"The future of the Smart Grid is of vital importance to the U.S. because it affects the way of life that Americans have come to enjoy and expect," said Wes Sylvester, Siemens Energy, Inc. director of distribution solutions and a member of the GridWeek Organizing Committee. "Siemens is among the first engineering innovators in the world, and we've taken a leadership role in not only developing the technology strategy necessary to make the Smart Grid dream a reality, but in actually implementing Smart Grid solutions," he added.
Sylvester serves as Siemens' representative on several Smart Grid committees, including the GridWisea?￠ Alliance and EPRI's Intelligrid. He is also ANSI's nominee for the NIST Smart Grid team.
Because Siemens understands the complete energy conversion chain, we're able to transform today's grid into a living infrastructure that is smart enough to respond quickly, flexibly and comprehensively to society's energy needs.
And Siemens also incorporates solutions for commercial and industrial applications as well as smart homes including building automation, IT systems integration, advanced lighting technology and energy efficient appliances for a comprehensive Smart Grid solution.
The Siemens Energy Sector is the world's leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas. In fiscal 2008 (ended September 30), the Energy Sector had revenues of approximately EUR22.6 billion and received new orders totaling approximately EUR33.4 billion and posted a profit of EUR1.4 billion. On September 30, 2008, the Energy Sector had a work force of approximately 83,500.
