Everything is bigger in Texas, which will hold true with the 2016 IEEE PES T&D Conference & Exposition, May 2 through 5. The industry’s leading companies and brightest minds will once again converge for the industry’s largest and most collaborative show at the Dallas convention center. The theme of this year’s show, “Go Big,” reflects the size of the show and a mind-set for the current state of the industry.
Conference Kickoff
The conference festivities begin with a welcome reception on Monday evening, May 2 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the AT&T Stadium. Former professional football player Emmitt Smith will kick off the expo’s largest opening reception to date at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Experience what “Go Big” really means as you see yourself on the record-breaking 72-ft-tall video screen, visit the locker rooms, enjoy lots of great food and drinks, and mingle with other industry professionals on the field. Shuttle buses will depart from the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas and all official conference hotels starting at 6:15 p.m. Buses will return to the hotels continuously until 10 p.m.
Don’t stay at the stadium too late, because you don’t want to miss the opening session on Tuesday morning, May 3, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in Ballroom A, featuring Smith as the keynote speaker. As a Hall of Fame NFL player, he delivered his biggest performances in the biggest moments. Now he’ll do it again as a special guest during the opening session. With three Super Bowl rings and holder of many NFL records that still stand today, Smith remains one of the biggest names ever to take the field.
Even after all his success on the field, Smith doesn’t believe his biggest achievements are behind him. He hit the business world running with the same relentless drive he displayed in sold-out stadiums. It’s what has made him a successful entrepreneur and a Dallas legend beyond the game of football.
That same passion for personal growth will help each one of us shape the energy solutions industry for years to come. As someone who continues to inspire every team he’s ever been on, there’s no one better to kick off this year’s conference than Emmitt Smith. This is an event you will not want to miss.
The exhibit hall will open immediately following the opening session. Throughout the entire show, the exhibit hall will be bustling with activity. In addition to presenting products and services at their booths, many of the exhibiting companies will conduct information sessions providing lively, in-depth explanations about their products. Visitors will be able to see innovative solutions to prepare for the future. It is also a great place to make important contacts and meet the movers and shakers of the T&D industry.
Going Big with Technology
This year’s program consists of super sessions, technical panel sessions, poster sessions, educational tracks, plain talk courses, exhibitor info sessions, continuing education and professional development, and an exposition that features hundreds of manufacturers who will display the most up-to-date technology and equipment available in the marketplace today. The event also provides technical and companion tours designed to enrich the conference and exposition experience.
The super sessions will cover topics such as microgrids in the utility space and challenges with distributed energy resources. The poster and panel sessions, scheduled continuously throughout the event, include the following main topics:
- Smart grid, including communications, cybersecurity and physical security, distributed generation and standard developments
- Energy and the environment
- Integrating wind and solar energy into the transmission and distribution grids
- Energy storage systems
- Gas-insulated substations, gas-insulated transmission and mixed technology switchgear
- Flexible AC transmission systems
- Electric vehicles and their impact on the grid and standards development
- Innovations in transmission line design
- Protection and control
- Asset management
- Operations and maintenance
- T&D systems analysis and software tools
- Power and energy education, collaborative research and the aging workforce.
The conference also offers technical panel sessions scheduled each day; special interest sessions focusing on in-depth issues that are timely and have a high level of interest to attendees; and special info sessions that are conducted by exhibitors and allow attendees to gather information and ask questions of the experts as they demonstrate and explain new and exciting dimensions of their business in an uninterrupted
setting.
IEEE PES plain talk courses for the power industry professional are also featured and help attendees to understand technical aspects of the electric power industry, even if they do not have an engineering background. They will gain insights into the concerns of engineers, the demands of regulators and consumer groups, and the factors and trends that impact the operation of today’s electric power systems. These courses are also appropriate for new engineers to the industry, or for engineers in other fields who are transitioning to the electric power industry. These courses aim to increase understanding of the electric power system by providing practical knowledge they can use as they work in or with this important industry.
CEO Roundtable
New this year is the CEO roundtable, which will bring senior executives to discuss the timely and important topic of the distribution system operator (DSO), address the associated questions and explore the related issues, especially in the context of ongoing planning for DSO pilot projects and implementation.
The DSO is a topic of great discussion in some states today, and the related distribution system platform provider is seen by some as a vehicle for stimulating the deployment of distributed energy resources by customers and third parties in ways that are beneficial to the grid overall. Wholesale market operators and utilities responsible for system reliability and overall market performance might prefer to see that local market models follow established wholesale product and service definitions and rules for ease of integration and comfort with overall behavior, which will be further discussed in this panel. The panel represents utility and independent system operator perspectives, as well as regulatory viewpoints. The roundtable will be on Thursday, May 5 from 8 a.m.
to 10 a.m.
Networking Reception
On Wednesday, May 4 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with leading product specialists, experts and industry leaders at the networking reception. This event will occur in the exhibit hall, providing a relaxed atmosphere to meet vendors and fellow attendees. Beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be provided by sponsors Henkels & McCoy and Leidos Engineering.
Collegiate Program
The collegiate program is intended for electrical engineering students to learn more about the electric power industry and enable them to experience the excitement and opportunity the industry offers. The program includes a student poster contest, a student guided tour of the exhibit hall and a tour of Oncor Electric Delivery’s Technology Demonstration & Education Center (TDEC) — the most advanced microgrid in the nation.
The collegiate program will also include a student luncheon designed to bring together students, industry representatives and faculty advisors. Following the lunch, a panel of top executives will offer their advice and share experiences with respect to career progression in the areas of research, teaching and consulting to management at the executive level. The intent of the panel discussion is to empower students to form realistic expectations and goals for a career in engineering. Don’t miss powerful insights from this distinguished panel on Wednesday, May 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Technical Tours
Enrich your experience and visit to Dallas by participating in the technical tour program. Special arrangements have been made by this year’s host committee to introduce attendees to state-of-the-art technologies at work. Be sure to review the list of tours and make your reservations early; space is limited and at a premium.
The tours include Oncor’s TDEC; the Oncor Static VAR Compensator; Sabre Industries’ Transmission Structure Testing, Manufacturing and Hot-Dip Galvanizing facilities; BNSF Network Operations Center; AT&T Stadium; Lockheed Martin; and the Oncor Data Center & Energy Efficiency Experience Center.
Engineering Ethics
The 2016 conference is also offering a special course on “Professional Engineering Practice Ethics.” During this session, Lance Kinney, executive director of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers, will present on the subject of professional engineering ethics, after which attendees will be presented a certificate documenting attendance that is suitable to meet the continuing education ethics requirements of most states. (Attendees are personally responsible for verification of acceptance by their appropriate state board.) The course will be held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3.
International Visitors Center
The IEEE PES is an international organization with a desire to attract a worldwide audience of electric utility professionals and associates to the 2016 event. During the conference and exposition, international attendees are invited to visit the International Visitors Center located in Lobby F at the convention center.
Visitors to the center will be welcomed by representatives of the show committee who will assist international attendees with planning their visit to the conference and exposition and Dallas. Translators will be available to answer and assist with travel questions. The host committee looks forward to making the 2016 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition a positive experience for the international community of electric power attendees.
Visit the IEEE PES T&D website for more details on the event and to register.
