GENERA 2016 presented the latest advances in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The event, which has just completed its nineteenth edition, presented the innovative proposals from 169 companies and received visits from 9,154 professionals from 33 countries.

The extensive programme of technical conferences and the informative sessions of GENERA FORUM brought together almost 1,600 participants in total.

The sector of renewable energy, in addition to protecting the environment, employs 70,750 employees and contributes €7.387 billion to Spain’s GDP.

GENERA 2016, the International Event for Energy and the Environment, concluded with a total of 9,154 professional visitors from 33 countries and the participation of 169 exhibiting companies from 29 countries, which in its nineteenth edition, held between 15-17 June at Feria de Madrid, presented the latest innovative proposals and new trends from the sector of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability.

Organised by IFEMA, with the support of the Institute for Energy Diversification and Savings (IDAE), the event presented an extensive offering of proposals and technological advances, among which were intelligent control systems and operational optimisation systems for all types of renewable energy installations; self-consumption solutions; energy efficiency systems for lighting and ventilation, automation and energy storage; new measurement and control instruments, and hire-purchase and fleet management solutions for electric vehicles.

High level of professional participation from all of the autonomous communities and from 33 countries worldwide

Half of the professionals that visited GENERA came from outside of Madrid, including the presence of all of the autonomous communities and 33 countries worldwide. The professional profile with the highest levels of participation was in the sector of consultancy and engineering companies for project design and development, followed by installation and maintenance companies. There was also a significant presence of professionals from energy service, architecture and construction companies, as well as from suppliers and public administrations.

Almost 1,600 participants in the technical conferences and involved in GENERA FORUM

The extensive programme of technical conferences, which included a total of 21 conferences, and the GENERA FORUM, in which 13 informative sessions were conducted, brought together almost 1,600 participants in total.

Topics like the low-carbon strategy established in the 2030 European framework, the contribution of energy services to the development of smart cities, energy efficiency in the renovation of buildings, or the main advances and challenges in biomass, cogeneration, wind power, photovoltaic energy, geothermal, marine and solar thermal and thermoelectric energy, were the subjects of analysis and discussion by the main representatives from the industry and the associations in the sector as part of the technical conferences.

In the framework of the GENERA FORUM, detailed presentations were given on some of the main innovative proposals that the exhibitors were showcasing this year at the event, informative sessions were conducted on matters of interest for the sector, such as the renting of energy efficiency, the search for investors for renewable energy projects, managing patents or a guide to savings and energy efficiency.

GENERA also hosted the International Conference for Bilateral Meetings for the Transfer of Technology in Energy and the Environment on 15-16 June, in which 160 meetings were held with the participation of 114 public and private entities; and a conference on Funding and Participation Opportunities in European Projects related with Energy and the Environment, both organised by the MADRI+D Knowledge Foundation.

Again this year, GENERA presented its INNOVATION GALLERY, a space designed to promote sectoral innovation, research and development, which in this edition recognised and showcased a total of 18 innovative projects, all of which were very representative of the progress made in Spanish technology in terms of renewable energy, energy efficiency and environmental protection.

GENERA was held this year to coincide with FSMS, the Forum for Sustainable Environmental Solutions, an event with significant synergies embracing, among others, TECMA, the International Trade Fair for Urban Planning and the Environment; the CITIES FORUM, Urban Spaces for Well-being and Sustainability, and SRR, the International Recovery and Recycling Trade Fair; all combining to create an impressive presentation platform where commitment to sustainability and the environment served as the common thread uniting all the different kinds of content.

The sector of renewable energy, in addition to protecting the environment, employs 70,750 employees and contributes €7.387 billion to Spain’s GDP

The renewable energy sector in Spain, in addition to protecting the environment, is an important driving force for the creation of employment and wealth for the country. According to the latest figures published by the Association of Renewable Energy Companies (APPA), from 2014, this activity contributed €7.387 billion this year to the Spanish GDP, contributing a net financial contribution of €970 million to the state coffers, and providing 70,750 employees with work.

A highly dynamic sector which also avoided the import of 20.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) in the form of fossil fuels, which prevented 54.4 million tons of CO₂ from being released into the atmosphere and represented an economic saving in energy imports equivalent to €8.469 billion.