TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023

Day 1 – Knowledge Day, Venue: FHNW, Brugg-Windisch, Switzerland

CHALLENGES FOR THE ELECTRICAL GRIDS OF THE FUTURE – SCIENCE, INDUSTRY AND GRID OWNERS PERSPECTIVE

On the first day, mainly customers, representatives/distributors and students from the D-A-CH region are invited to the Day of Knowledge. The program is divided into three sections. First, renowned professors will speak about the challenges for future electrical grids from a scientific perspective. Therein, for example, they will shed light on topics such as extending the service life of primary devices through monitoring or the challenges of operating equipment through DC voltage. In the second section, speakers from grid operators will report on challenges and innovations in the transmission and distribution grids. The third part is the panel discussion with the main topic, “Strengthening the professional environment of electrical grids/high-voltage technology”, with representatives from the industry and the education system. After these substantial contributions,  a more relaxed atmosphere shall be created in order to facilitate networking and interpersonal exchange – an aperitif will round off this exiting day. The event will take place at the University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland in Brugg-Windisch.

Please note: The presentations will be held in German and simultaneously translated into English and French.

WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023

Day 2 – Innovations and Technologies of the PFIFFNER Group, Venue: Kultur & Kongresshaus (KUK) Aarau

INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY GRID IN THE FUTURE

The innovative products, systems and services of the PFIFFNER Group are the focus of the second day. These include the new sensor products from HAEFELY, the 420/550 kV bushings from MOSER GLASER, the new DCCT and F-gas-free instrument transformer from PFIFFNER, the new CBDE disconnector generation from ALPHA-ET or system reference projects from PFIFFNER Systems / HAVECO. Experts will provide insight into these new developments and Innovations. The venue for the second day is Aarau. An excursion to a power engineering showcase in the energy canton of Aargau, and a special evening event – “a dinner for all” – will conclude the second day.

Attention: The presentations and guided tours will be held in English. Exception: The presentations in stream 2, from 10.30 – 11.55 a.m., will be in German (CH-relevant projects).

Detailed program

TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
from 08.00
Welcome coffee / reception of the guests
08.30 – 08.45
Welcome/introduction to the conference

Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Bernauer
CEO, PFIFFNER Group

08.45 – 09.15
Challenges to the electrical grids of the future from a system perspective

Prof. Dr. Martin Geidl
FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School of Engineering, Switzerland

09.15 – 09.45
Options for extending the service life of primary equipment

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephanie Uhrig
University of Applied Sciences, Munich, Germany

09.45 – 10.15
Challenges for insulation systems with DC voltage

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Küchler
Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), Germany

10.15 – 10.45
Coffee break
10.45 – 11.15
Transient Behaviour of HVDC Insulation Systems

Prof. Markus H. Zink
Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), Germany

11.15 – 11.45
Materials in insulation technology, in particular, their erosion and tracking resistance

Dipl. Ing. FH Stefan Kuehnel
Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, Germany

11.45 – 12.15
Role and development of Swissgrid’s Swiss transmission network

Dipl. Ing. ETH/HTL Antoine Pochon
Head of Grid Strategy, Swissgrid AG, Switzerland

12.15 – 13.30
Lunch break
13.30 – 14.00
A way towards a CO2 free substation

Dipl. Ing. Christian Lindner
Head of Engineering, Axpo Grid AG, Switzerland

14.00 – 14.30
Challenges and Innovations in the Context of the Energy Transition from the Perspective of a German Transmission System Operator

Dr. Florian Martin
Head of Asset Management / Asset Technology, TenneT TSO GmbH, Germany

14.30 – 15.00
Energy transition 2045 – How can an accelerated expansion of the 110kV grid of Netze BW succeed?

Dr. Andreas Kühner
Head of Grid Development Projects, Netze BW GmbH, Germany

15.00 – 15.30
Coffee break
15.30 – 16.00
Digital substation using the example of the transformer

Dipl. Ing. Fredi Belavić
Asset Manager, Austrian Power Grid AG, Austria

16.00 – 16.30
Basic investigations on electrical insulation systems

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marc Klemm
University of Applied Sciences in Saar­brücken (HTW), Germany

16.30 – 17.00
Project F-gas-free circuit breaker; simulation, experiments, Digital Twin

Dr. Roman Fuchs
Lecturer, CAS CFD, FH Ost, Switzerland
Prof. Martin Pischtschan
Lecturer, FHNW, Switzerland
Kilian Pedolin
Research assistant, FHNW, Switzerland
Laura Tiedemann
Research assistant, TU Braunschweig, ­Germany

17.00 – 17.30
Panel discussion (Strengthening the professional environment/The Power Lab/Energy Canton Aargau/View of grid operators)

Speakers/Experts from Industry and ­Education and with Dieter Egli, Member of the Cantonal Government of Aargau

17.30 – 19.30
Aperitif / Reception
WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
from 08.00
Welcome coffee / reception of the guests
08.30 – 08.40
Introduction PFIFFNER Group

Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Bernauer
CEO, PFIFFNER Group

08.40 – 09.00
Keynote: Sustainability – Outlook for the Transformer Industry

Dr. Mladen Banovic
Director / Chief Editor, Transformers Magazine

STREAM 1 – Instrument Transformers
09.10 – 09.35
New air-insulated 123 kV instrument transformer for AIS without SF6 gas

Ralf Riel
CEO, PFIFFNER Germany

Martin Boss
Head of Technology, PFIFFNER Switzerland

09.40 – 10.05
Development of an Eco-Friendly Circuit Breaker

Francesco Pisu
Head of Circuit Breakers, PFIFFNER Switzerland

STREAM 2 – Disconnectors
09.10 – 09.35
Challenges During the Development of a Center Break Disconnector

Lorenz Grimm
Development Engineer, ALPHA Elektrotechnik

09.40 – 10.05
First pilot project realised with the new disconnector type CBD 170kV

Mattias Wimmer
Head of Disconnectors, ALPHA Elektrotechnik

10.05 – 10.25
Coffee break
STREAM 1 – Instrument Transformers and Testing
10.30 – 10.55
RC-High Voltage Dividers for HVDC applications

Oleg Kuzmin
Product & Project Manager, PFIFFNER Switzerland

11.00 – 11.25
Application examples for the new HV-DC current transformer for up to 20kA

Dr.-Ing. Manfred Winkelnkemper
Head of R&D, PFIFFNER Switzerland

11.30 – 11.55
High-precision transformer measurement with new digital measuring bridge CITAS & VITAS

Marc Brunner
Product Engineer, HAEFELY 

STREAM 2 – Systems and services
10.30 – 10.55
Presentation of HAVECO based on the Project “Renewal of 170kV AIS Switchgear”

Stefan Häni
CEO, HAVECO

11.00 – 11.25
Sustainable Swiss project – Retrofit of an ewz switchgear for Zurich

Dipl. Ing. Walter Stetter
CEO, PFIFFNER Systems

Felix Behringer
Head of Sales Switzerland, PFIFFNER Switzerland

11.30 – 11.55
Sustainable Project Electric Bus “Citywide”

Torsten Berth
Business Development Manager, HAEFELY

12:00 – 13.15
Buffet lunch
STREAM 1 – High voltage tests
13.30 – 13.55
PD detector DDX 9160/61 as a Tool for Partial Discharge Measurement

Dr. Petr Mráz
Product Manager, HAEFELY

14.00 – 14.25
Preliminary experience with a mobile test system for 525kV DC Cables

Michael Gamlin
Manager System Engineering & Projects, HAEFELY

14.30 – 14.55
AC on-site cable tests with the mobile system up to 520kV test voltage (RSKF)

Dr. Lorenz Bort
Design Engineer, HAEFELY

STREAM 2 – Bushings and busbars
13.30 – 13.55
Expansion of the transformer bushing family including the 420kV and 550kV range

Laurent Vlesik
Head of Sales Bushings, MOSER GLASER

14.00 – 14.25
Retrofit of transformers with modern bushing technology

Laurent Vlesik
Head of Sales Bushings, MOSER GLASER

14.30 – 14.55
DURESCA busbars for hydroelectric power plants and offshore wind farms

Roger Hausy
Sales Engineer Busbars, MOSER GLASER

15.30 – 18.00
Excursion to a power engineering showcase in the energy canton of Aargau
18.30 – 23.00
Dinner for All with entertainment