pwr_february-2024 - 3

SPEAKING OF POWER
Connected Plant
Conference Provides Path
to Digital Transformation
Aaron Larson
I
am fortunate in my position to have the
opportunity to attend a handful of conferences
and trade shows every year.
I've been doing this for more than 10 years
now, so I'm sure I've been to at least 40
events. Most are very worthwhile and I
can't recall ever feeling like an event had
been a complete waste of my time. I always
hit the keynote sessions and I try to
attend as many learning sessions as I can
fit into my schedule. I often come away
with new insights that I share in my writing,
and sometimes I connect with presenters
to get contributions from them to
publish in POWER. Yet, networking with
other attendees and exhibitors could be
the most beneficial aspect of these get-togethers.
In the end, I almost always leave
having enjoyed the whole experience.
An event that I have especially loved
attending is the Connected Plant Conference
(CPC). POWER began hosting CPC
in 2017 when our team noticed how important
digital technology had become
in power plant operations and wanted to
serve the industry by providing a venue
where knowledge and experiences could
be shared. In year two, POWER's sister
publication, Chemical Engineering, began
co-hosting CPC, which expanded the
event to include chemical process industry
professionals. This year, the 8th annual
CPC event will be held in Houston,
Texas, at the Lake Resort Conference
Center at Margaritaville, May 20-22.
CPC Evolves with the Industry
While I have attended CPC many times,
POWER's resident expert for the show is
Senior Associate Editor Sonal Patel. Patel
has been a member of the CPC planning
committee for many years and is heavily
involved in selecting content and speakers
for the conference. I asked her how
CPC has changed over the years.
" A crucial evolution has been that CPC
has broadened dramatically away from
the Industrial Internet of Things-essential
industrial digitization through the interconnection
of digital devices (such as sensors,
instruments, and machines)-to a larger
conversation about the role that the integraFebruary
2024 | POWER
tion of digital technologies plays in business
and society, " she explained. " The conversation
is now centered on the digital transformation.
For the power sector, that means
CPC has emerged as one of the only conferences
where power professionals can
discuss-guided by expertise, peer knowledge,
and perspective-the challenges of
adopting digital tools amid the maze of legacy
systems, data management complexities,
and regulatory considerations. "
Patel continued: " The conference, for
example, is aimed at enabling better asset
performance through new tools and processes,
informed decision-making through
more effective data management, and the
cultivation of the necessary investment
and workforce capabilities through cultural
shifts. But it still retains a key focus on
technology implementation and process
concerns, and significantly, it continues
to address enduring challenges, for example,
cybersecurity. So, at its core, CPC
is today centered on helping attendees
grasp the best business value digitalization
can offer as the sector grapples with
its other challenges, like escalating electricity
demand, cost containment, and environmental
responsibility. "
Meanwhile, Kim Arellano, content director
for CPC, told POWER, " Over the
past seven years, we've uncovered the
irresistible allure of our event-a unique
opportunity to connect beyond boundaries.
CPC transcends specific industries
or technologies, centering on the transformative
impact of digital adoption on
every profession. As we navigate the
evolving landscape, embracing change
and confronting challenges, countless
echoes affirm that dialogues among
peers are not merely helpful but profoundly
meaningful. This year, our focus
expands beyond technical aspects, featuring
insightful panels that break down
the 'what' and 'why' of digital solutions.
We delve into the necessity of these
technologies and provide strategies to
avoid common pitfalls in rapid adoption. "
An Event Worth Attending Annually
Digital technology is always changing. By
the time you understand a digital solution
www.powermag.com
and how to best utilize it, it's often been
replaced by an even better option. That's
one of the reasons why I think CPC is
such a special event-by attending regularly,
you can stay abreast of the latest developments,
and decide which solutions
have staying power and when to pivot toward
the latest and greatest technology.
Exhibitors find the event to be very
worthwhile too. " Siemens Energy is returning
as our Diamond sponsor and has
seen the value of participating year after
year, " said Ellen Nyboer, CPC's event
sales
director. " What we hear most
from our returning sponsors is that the
connections they make onsite at CPC
are invaluable to their business, as is
evidenced by those who connected with
end-users onsite and then reported on
a pilot project with that same end-user
company the following year. "
The Lake Resort Conference Center at
Margaritaville, the location of this year's
event, as previously mentioned, is a toptier
venue, which offers some unique
opportunities. " The benefits of the location
are abundant with the number and
level of networking activations that we
will be able to hold, " Nyboer said. " Our
attendees and sponsors will experience
activations that kick off with a golf tournament
and continue with receptions in
the Boathouse located onsite and in our
digital arena. When it comes to in-person
events, it's truly all about the education,
conversations, and connections you have
while you're there, so it's our goal to curate
the right environment to activate the
learning and connections. "
Concerning the agenda, Patel said,
" We continue to shape this year's conference,
but as always, it will be spearheaded
by a committee that comprises
digitalization experts from the power and
chemical process industries. This year's
agenda will speak to prevalent industry
priorities, such as sustainability goals,
workforce and skills enhancement, asset
management, data management, and the
general scope of achievement, including
business value and profitability. " ■
-Aaron Larson is POWER's
executive editor.
3
http://www.powermag.com
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