▲ Officials attending BIXPO 2019 are holding an opening ceremony. <Photo = Korea Electric Power Corporation>

The theme of BIXPO 2019, which will be held for three days from November 6th to 8th, is Digital Platform (Hyper-Connectivity & Mega Shift), and it focuses on the huge changes (Mega Shift) in the global energy industry that are taking place in a hyper-connected society where everything is tightly connected based on digital technologies such as IoT, AI, and big data.

At the opening ceremony, Professor Cha Sang-gyun of Seoul National University, a world authority in the field of big data, gave a keynote speech and presented his outlook on the future of energy.

The new technology exhibition was attended by 299 companies, including global corporations such as GE, Siemens, Nokia, SK Telecom, and Huawei, as well as startups. The KEPCO PR Center and the Hydrogen Energy Special Center also attracted the attention of visitors.

The export consultation held in conjunction with the exhibition focused on promoting exports and generating results by inviting approximately 60 overseas buyers from 20 countries, including Asia, North America, and Europe.

The 51 international conferences, which shared new technology trends and explored development directions, were hosted by international organizations such as the World Bank and the Council for International Grid Engineering (CIGRE), specialized institutions such as the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers and the Smart Grid Research Association, and KEPCO.

The Energy Leaders Summit, attended by executives from the global power and energy sector, including CEOs, experts from research institutes, and academics, explored future energy policies under the theme of Mega Trends and Business Opportunities in the power industry.

A total of 160 inventions were exhibited at the International Invention Patent Exhibition, which is gaining popularity for its brilliant ideas.

At the opening ceremony, Korea Electric Power Corporation President Kim Jong-gap said, “The future of a hyper-connected society, densely connected through digital means such as the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, and the society that the development of the electric power industry will bring about. “Imagine the rapid and massive changes that will occur across the board,” he said, adding, “I hope this event will serve as a treasure map that opens new horizons for the electric power industry.”

Meanwhile, this event was attended by approximately 1,000 domestic and international guests and participants, and included a new technology exhibition with 299 companies, 51 international conferences, an international invention patent competition, and a job fair.