POWER November 2016 - 36

Connected Plant Conference Advertising Promotion
The Digital Transformation of the Power
Industry Is Happening Now. Are You Ready?
Terms like Industrial Internet, Industrie 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Digital Plant, and others are
proliferating, and their advocates promise exponential benefi ts from digitally connected technologies. But power
plants are unlike all other plants. That makes understanding the new digital technologies and capabilities
especially important-whether you own generation or provide equipment and services to the industry.
Whatever buzzword you use, now is the time to develop your strategic digitization plan-or risk getting caught in
a digital buzzsaw. That's why POWER is launching its Connected Plant Conference.
First-of-Its-Kind Event
POWER's Connected Plant Conference will be held February 15 and 16 in Dallas. Unlike other events addressing
advanced digital tools and the Internet of Things, our Connected Plant Conference is the only event focused
exclusively on the power generation sector. Sessions will address how to use connected plant technologies for
effi ciency, reliability, profi tability, safety, compliance, and security.
Whether you represent a large, multi-facility generator or a smaller municipal or cooperative utility, the
Connected Plant Conference is designed to give you the information you need plus access to technology
providers and generating companies on the leading edge of the digital transformation.
Don't Let Cyber Fears Hold You Back
Industry leaders are sometimes hesitant to adopt advanced digital technologies because they're concerned
about cybersecurity. Nevertheless, standing on the sidelines is quickly becoming an untenable option. As new
facilities are built and existing ones are upgraded or maintained, ensuring best-in-class performance increasingly
requires greater data collection, aggregation, and analysis.
As the power of connected plant technologies increases, decision-makers, managers, and operators across
all company functions will need to become informed about the new capabilities and how to harness them.
Managing cybersecurity risks is an integral part of pre-purchase due diligence, training, and daily operation.
The only way to ensure that you are asking the right questions is to become more informed. Through presentations,
lunch discussions, and hands-on exhibits, the Connected Plant Conference facilitates information sharing with
technology developers, generators that have deployed new tools, and independent industry experts.
Harnessing Digital Tools to Drive Success
The tagline for POWER's Connected Plant Conference is " Harnessing Digital Tools to Drive Success. " We're not
suggesting that any of the amazing new technologies available from vendors large and small can be bought,
deployed, and ignored. Yes, many of them are designed to simplify processes and provide better information
faster. But no technology solution can be left to run on its own. Informed human drivers need to determine how
those tools will be harnessed to drive operational and business success.
Deriving successful outcomes from connected plant and Industrial Internet of Things technologies also requires
a certain amount of cultural change. That's why we have a session dedicated to the collaboration required
between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) experts. In some organizations, there's a
wide chasm between IT and OT, but the days of turf protection are numbered. To avoid poor decision-making,
poor implementation, and potential disaster, these two technology groups, management, and operations leaders
must come to the same table to learn about each other's requirements and concerns.
To encourage dialog among the various organizations that need to understand the implications of digitally
connected technologies, POWER's Connected Plant Conference is designed not just for those who work in
power plants, and not just for those in corporate offi ces. It's an opportunity for all interested parties to network
face to face in a neutral learning environment.
-Gail Reitenbach, PhD is POWER's editor.

POWER November 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER November 2016