Partner country Switzerland: innovative, competent and attractive

Bern, 18.02.2008 - From February 19 to 21, 2008, Switzerland will be presenting itself from the best side as the partner country of the E-world energy & water in Essen: On the country’s joint stand exhibitors will be showing cutting-edge research, innovations, products and services from the Swiss energy environment and presenting Switzerland’s advantages as a business location. At the numerous congresses and workshops during the trade fair high-profile Swiss speakers will explain both Switzerland’s new energy policy and the conditions for investing in Switzerland.

The eighth E-world energy & water trade fair will take place from February 19 to 21, 2008. Switzerland will use the opportunity to figure as the partner land of this leading European fair for the energy and water industries to optimally present the country's advantages as Europe's energy distributor and main water reservoir.

Christa Thoben, Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Christian Wanner, Financial Director of the Canton of Solothurn, will officially open the E-world energy & water with a tour of the fair on Tuesday, February 19, 2008. They will be accompanied by Christian Blickenstorfer, Swiss Ambassador in Berlin, Walter Steinmann, Director of the Swiss Federal Office for Energy, and Hans Schweickardt, CEO EOS and Chairman of swisselectric.

During the tour of the fair the dignitaries will pay a visit to the attractive joint stand of the Swiss exhibitors and to the stands of the Swiss electricity suppliers, who by their sponsorship have made it possible for Switzerland to participate at the E-world: Atel (Aare-Tessin) Ltd, BKW FMB Energy Ltd, EGL (Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft Laufenburg) Ltd, EOS (Energie Ouest Suisse) Ltd and Rätia Energy Ltd. Flags displayed on the companies' stands indicate that they are part of the partner-country initiative.

Exhibitors on the joint Swiss stand are representative of Switzerland's innovative drive, competence and attractiveness in the energy sector: the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) with its world record-holding hydrogen-powered vehicle, Pac Car II; the Paul Scherrer Institute and CTU - Concepts Technology Environment Ltd presenting a unique new wood gasification process; Kompogas Ltd, with an innovative compost recycling technology with gas as the end product; swissgrid as the new Transmission System Operator (TSO); "Minergie" - the quality label for low-energy buildings, and the Swiss Trade Fair introducing the "Powertage 2008", the most important Swiss event for the electricity industry, are all to be found on the stand. In addition, Aargau and Solothurn, the main energy-supplying cantons, will show why the areas are ideal for locating a business or for research cooperation.

Switzerland is also well-represented at the numerous workshops and meetings held in combination with the fair. In addition to Christian Wanner, Financial Director of the Canton of Solothurn, Stefan Engler, President of the Administration of the Canton of Graubünden, and Walter Steinmann, Director of the Federal Office for Energy, many other distinguished Swiss speakers will be present (see the accompanying list).

Partner country Switzerland not only wins others over through innovation and science, it does so with a culinary adventure. At the joint Swiss stand and at the stands of the Swiss exhibitors E-world visitors will be able to embark on a culinary tour of Switzerland arranged by the Aarau company Cookuk.

Take the opportunity to discover the many facets of Switzerland at the 2008 E-world. We are looking forward to welcoming many visitors to the joint stand and to those of our sponsors!


Address for enquiries

Marianne Zünd, Head of Communication SFOE, 031 322 56 75 / 079 763 86 11



Publisher

Swiss Federal Office of Energy
http://www.bfe.admin.ch

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