CanWEA Annual Conference and Exhibition moves to Calgary in 2016

The most recent CanWEA Annual Conference and Exhibition, Canada’s biggest wind energy event, ran from 5–7 October 2015 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. Next year the event shifts its focus to Western Canada and moves to Calgary, which was selected because it is centrally located relative to Canada’s western provinces. From 1–3 November 2016, the CanWEA Annual Conference and Exhibition will take center stage at the BMO Convention Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Electricity generation in Alberta currently produces more than 50 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, but the province’s newly-elected government intends to eliminate coal-fired electricity generation, expand renewable energy sources, and aggressively tackle climate change. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan’s future wind-energy strategy is expected to set a wind-energy target of 12 percent of total energy over the next 15 years. Clearly, Western Canada presents wind-energy companies with a huge opportunity to help clean up its electricity grid.

“Alberta already generates about three times the national average of electricity from wind power. The province’s new energy strategy includes policies to further develop wind generation in Alberta, which will create more clean electricity and rural economic development. This opens up the market to competition and makes Alberta an attractive market for international companies that provide products and services in the wind-energy sector,” said Wolfgang Pech, senior vice president at Deutsche Messe. “

“We stage our annual event in different cities across the country to better network with all industry members and government organizations nationwide,” said Robert Hornung, president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA). “In the next decade, Western Canada’s electricity sector will see a surge in demand for new, clean and affordable wind power. We chose Calgary for CanWEA 2016 so that our sessions take place where the action is happening.”

CanWEA annually hosts 1,500 delegates and 150 exhibiting companies from 13 countries. More than 95 percent of delegates seek networking and business development opportunities and 79 percent make or influence purchasing decisions. Hannover Fairs Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of Deutsche Messe AG, organizes the CanWEA Annual Conference & Exhibition, in cooperation with the Canadian Wind Energy Association.

Canadian Wind Energy Association

CanWEA is the voice of Canada’s wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canada’s leading source of credible information on wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits.

Deutsche Messe AG

With revenue of 280 million euros (2014), Deutsche Messe AG ranks among the world’s ten largest trade fair companies and operates the world’s largest exhibition center. In 2014, Deutsche Messe planned and staged 134 trade fairs and congresses around the world – events which hosted more than 41,000 exhibitors and 3.6 million visitors. The company’s event portfolio includes such world-leading trade fairs as CeBIT (IT and telecommunications), HANNOVER MESSE (industrial technology), BIOTECHNICA (biotechnology), CeMAT (intralogistics), didacta (education), DOMOTEX (floor coverings), INTERSCHUTZ (Rescue, fire prevention, disaster relief, safety and security), and LIGNA (wood processing and forestry). With about 1,200 employees and a network of 66 representatives, subsidiaries and branch offices, Deutsche Messe is present in more than 100 countries worldwide.