PCIM Europe 2012: power electronics and renewable energy

PCIM Europe 2012 as the international leading exhibition and conference for power electronics and intelligent motion once again attracted the "Who's Who" from the sector to the Nuremberg exhibition halls from 8 - 10th May. The event addressed important current issues with topics such as renewable energy and energy management. The PCIM Europe had to take place in two exhibition halls for the first time this year due to the increased number of exhibitors -- here, there was a good mix of medium-to-large-sized companies and newcomers presenting their solutions and technologies. At the conference running parallel to the event excellent contributions were acknowledged with the Best Paper Award and three Young Engineer Awards again this year. The winners were Keiji Okumura, Johannes Kolb, Hari Babu Kotte and Marek Siatkowski. During the conference, numerous specialists and top-class speakers presented the latest developments and trends such as the electricity supply for satellites, the solar energy market of the future and the potential for smart grid solutions. With the shortage of engineers in Europe in mind, the career fair and the student's day brought together job hunters and potential employers. The focus on energy management and renewable energy will no doubt continue to be a main topic for discussion at next year's PCIM Europe from 14th-16th May, 2013.