CIGRE Virtual Centennial Session 2021- 18th to 27th August 2021

How it Works

Innovation, as usual

CIGRE has constantly evolved and innovated during the past century in response to, and in anticipation of, emerging trends and challenges in the global power system. In this vein, we have chosen an exciting, vibrant and stimulating new technology-enabled approach to the 48th Session of the Association. Given ongoing health uncertainty due to the pandemic, the 2021 Session will be entirely virtual.

Building on the 2020 e-session

Just as our traditional poster Session has formed a part of our normal wider Session format, the 2020 e-session, which focused on the presentation of papers, was effectively the poster Session for this 2021 Virtual Session.

Technical, incisive, immersive

Along with a new interactive industry exhibition, remote delegates of the Virtual Centennial Session will enjoy all the same in-depth, interactive, insightful presentations, discussions and debates that they are accustomed to from previous Paris Sessions. Better still, several factors will enable and actually enhance this:

CIGRE TV

Much work is underway to ready new CIGRE TV for the Centennial Session. This will allow us to complement our usual in-depth technical programme with interesting interviews, discussions and summaries of the day’s proceedings, broadcast before and after the technical programme via this new ‘CIGRE TV’ format. Stay ‘tuned’ for more on this.

The same great venue and content, but with a twist

The Virtual Session will be held again at the Palais des Congrès. This time though, the Group Discussion Meetings (GDM), which are the main components of a CIGRE Session, will be broadcast professionally from a suite of five new state-of-the-art broadcasting studios.

In the tradition of our thought leadership congress, the 16 Study Committee organising teams, including Chairs, Secretaries and Special Reporters, will be on hand in Paris to lead expert technical discussions. Remote but still immersive delegate input and engagement will be carefully facilitated, with findings made available on a daily basis.

At past CIGRE Sessions, the 16 GDMs were the main part of the event, in the form of conferences where delegates answered questions from the Special Reporters. These responses took the form of written contributions submitted in advance for validation by the Study Committee Chairs, and presented orally at the GDMs within a time limit. The Virtual Centennial Session will still follow this principle, and delegates who wish to do so can submit their contributions once registered. Register now.

The opening ceremony, the opening panel, the NGN and WiE forums, and the four workshops organised by some of the Study Committees will use the same TV studios over two days.

Enhanced technical focus

Just like previous Sessions, special reporters have reviewed the papers presented in 2020 and now call for contributions to a suite of technical issues, questions and discussion points. As delegates expect, the salient issues faced by our industry are covered, including renewables integration, storage, green hydrogen, the digitisation of the power system, cybersecurity and more.

In addition, 16 new tutorials will be broadcast parallel to the main event, using the GoToWebinar management platform.

Choose what’s important to you

Digital delivery of CIGRE’s end-to-end scope of work will make it even easier for delegates to select the meetings and events from the calendar most aligned with their needs. View the full programme

Recorded proceedings

All elements of the Virtual Session – GDMs, tutorials, workshops, panels, forums and the opening ceremony, will be recorded in full. Delegates will have access to the entire range of materials and recordings post-event.

Unique historical materials

As part of our Centennial celebrations, delegates can also digitally access a huge range of historical materials, including all previous Session proceedings since CIGRE’s inception.

Timed for delegate convenience

The Virtual Centennial Session will be held over 8 four-hour days, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, from 18 to 27 August. It has been configured to offer our global community greater flexibility, achieved by positioning the various events to conveniently span key global time zones.

Reduced rates

Enabled by the virtual nature of the 2021 event, registration fees have been reduced. Those who registered for the 2021 Hybrid Session can carry their registration forward to 2022 and also access this year’s virtual event for a highly discounted rate. Similarly, those who now register for 2022 will access the same rate.

* The special rate is for the delegates who will accept to transfer to the 2022 Session, their registrations to the 2021 hybrid Session paid in 2020 or 2021, and for the delegates who will register to the 2022 Session in 2021.

Unite virtually in Paris!

We are hopeful that 2022 will permit a return to face-to-face engagement, but as we know we must remain agile. This year’s Virtual Session is a considerable step up from 2020 and will inform the evolution of what are expected to be hybrid Sessions into the future.

We encourage our global community to continue the unique traditions of CIGRE in these challenging times. Unite with us at the Palais des Congrès de Paris this year and be part of the world’s leading virtual event for power system expertise. As usual, this is a must-attend event for the serious power system professional.