Young people "fired up" for electricity

(Patria) - The Bosnian-Herzegovinian Committee of the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE) has begun preparations for the 14th consultation, which will be held in Neum this year. This is a traditional professional event where, through the presentation and discussion of professional papers, power engineers thoroughly analyze the state of the power sector and propose solutions for its better functioning, greater reliability, and future development. As suggested by the conceptual design of the event's poster, the focus will be on supplying electric cars with propulsion energy and using renewable sources in electricity production. In both of these areas, Bosnia and Herzegovina is seriously lagging behind Europe.

The Management Board of CIGRE in BiH has decided that the deadline for submitting abstracts will be March 29, and for submitting papers, June 28.

At the thirteenth consultation held in the autumn of 2017, about 160 professional papers were presented, and the president of this committee, Edhem Bičakčić, expects this number to be exceeded this year. He bases his optimism on the fact that, in the meantime, this professional organization has been strengthened and has grown in membership, and its reputation among electrical engineers, as well as other highly qualified personnel, has significantly increased compared to the previous period. Among them are a considerable number of young people for whom, as he says, "it is very important to strive to reach the top in their profession." CIGRE currently has about 400 members.

In addition to the aforementioned consultation, the activities of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Committee of the International Council on Large Electric Systems will also be marked by a series of other professional gatherings aimed at offering the best technical and other solutions to decision-makers in the field of power engineering and accelerating the overall development of BiH.

"If power engineering in BiH participates with about 30 percent in gross domestic product, then every ten percent progress in its development means a three percent shift in the total GDP. These are goals that are difficult to achieve in other sectors, and therefore I believe that energy is an underutilized opportunity for our economic progress, social prosperity, and social security," stated Edhem Bičakčić, president of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Committee of CIGRE, on this occasion. /H. ARIFAGIĆ/