Revamped Program that Reflects a Forward-Thinking Industry

The 13th Quebec Wind Energy Conference spearheaded by Nergica has officially opened at the Riôtel Matane. One of the most important events in the Canadian renewable energy industry, the Conference will continue through June 12. 

"This renewed 13th edition of the Quebec Wind Energy Conference is proposing a program that reflects both the maturity of the industry and key themes of the energy industry at large and our sector in particular", explains Nergica general manager Frédéric Côté. "Notable examples include the impacts of climate change, repowering and artificial intelligence," he points out. 

The topics addressed revolve around concerns that are firmly entrenched in the 21st century and the energy transition phenomenon. Participants are encouraged not only to attend the presentations, but also to take part in discussions through interactive workshops and expert panels that will address topics of interest for our industry. 

Climate change, Big Data, artificial intelligence: hot topics! 

The day after the Opening Evening, presentations will commence with a look around the wind market in Quebec and throughout Canada. Among the topics that deserve particular attention, we should emphasize the release of the preliminary results of a major study on the impact of climate change on icing and wind resources. Experts from the research consortium on regional climatology and adaptation to climate change consisting of Ouranos, Nergica and Hydro-Québec will present these highly-anticipated results. 

Other hot topics include maintenance, Big Data, and repowering as well as wind farm health and safety. A delegation from western Canada will also be present to lead a workshop on wind farm optimization. The program also features two "intelligence and innovation" presentations that will focus on artificial intelligence and intuitive intelligence, respectively. 

Conference participants will thus have the opportunity to hear Mr. Jean-François Ouellet, a recognized expert in Quebec in the field of artificial intelligence. Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumnus, professor of marketing at HEC Montréal's department of entrepreneurship and innovation, moderator, entrepreneur and award-winning speaker, Mr. Ouellet will discuss artificial intelligence as it applies to wind in a context of innovation and industrial/technological revolution. 

"Innovation and new technologies are topics that we hear about all the time. I am convinced that it will be most interesting to address them from the perspective of artificial intelligence and intuition. The success of our guest speakers speaks for itself and we are eager to hear them!" points out Mr. Côté. 

Besides the networking activities and the Siemens Gamesa banquet, participants will also be invited to take advantage of a visit to the Jardins de Métis and a wind turbine photo exhibit that will conclude with a Happy Hour offered by Innergex Renewable Energy. 

Wind Meetings: The Conference's signature activity 

The not-to-be-missed Wind Meetings will evidently be part of the program. As a "B2B" meeting service orchestrated by a team recognized on multiple occasions for its dynamism, year in and year out, Wind Meetings facilitate the development of lasting business relationships between companies within the sector. Just like the Conference itself, Wind Meetings are adapting to the changing needs of the industry by proposing this year a new formula whereby business meetings will last 15, 30 or 60 minutes, depending on the participants' needs. 

Nergica | nergica.com