The events saw vendors, enterprises, public sector and academics benefiting from networking and business discussions. Hundreds of guests attended the plenary sessions, with the most popular conference sessions POWER-GEN Africa's capacity building, training and development, project case studies and renewable energy policy and finance sessions, and DistribuTECH Africa's smart metering, data intelligence and business operations sessions.
The overwhelming majority of attendees at both conferences rated session content as satisfactory to excellent, with 65% calling for even more content on business strategy and policy/regulation in future.
"With visitors and exhibitors reporting successful business leads as a result of their attendance, and positive feedback to guide the formation of future conference agendas, the stage is set for an even bigger paired event next year," says Nigel Blackaby, director of Conferences at event organiser PennWell International Power Group in the UK.
Blackaby says delegate surveys at the 2014 events found that 96% of attendees rated the exhibition as satisfactory to very good, 90% found the event successful in terms of sales and future business and 88% of exhibitors said POWER-GEN Africa and DistribuTECH Africa fulfilled expectations. 36% of attendees were from power generation companies or utilities, and 31% were original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or vendors; with 38% having final purchasing authority and 29% having the authority to recommend purchasing.
POWER-GEN Africa and DistribuTECH Africa will return to the Cape Town International Conference Centre from 15-17 July 2015, under the banner 'Emerging opportunities in the world's fastest-growing continent'.
