Technical visits
CIRED 2025 is pleased to offer four technical visits taking place on Friday, 20 June.
Tickets for the technical visits cost €79 per person, with transport provided, and can be purchased during the registration process.
Spaces are limited and available on first come, first served basis.
Technical Visit 1 – CERN
Transportation will be provided to and from CERN and Palexpo.
- Departure from Palexpo: 8:30am
- Return to Palexpo: Between 1pm – 1:30pm
CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) is a leading scientific research centre in particle physics.
Founded in 1954, its main goal is to explore the fundamental forces and particles of the universe. CERN operates the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest particle accelerator, where experiments have led to significant discoveries, such as the Higgs boson in 2012.
With over 23 member states and global partnerships, CERN promotes international collaboration and education, inspiring future generations of scientists and innovators. Its research pushes the boundaries of our understanding of the universe.
The visit to CERN will begin with an introductory video followed by a Q&A session. You will then hear from leading experts who will delve into the technical details of CERN’s electrical systems before being split into smaller groups to visit key sites of CERN firsthand.
Please note: Participants must ensure their identification and travel documents are valid for travel between CERN’s Swiss and French sites.
Visit limited to 30 participants.
Technical Visit 2 – STAP Vengeron (GeniLac)
Transportation will be provided to and from the Vengeron Pumping Station and Palexpo.
- Departure from Palexpo: 9:40am
- Return to Palexpo: Approx. 12:20pm
The Vengeron Pumping Station, the heart of GeniLac, is an XXL- scale infrastructure that uses lake water to cool and heat buildings. At a depth of 18 meters, this pumping station will be totally integrated into its environment. GeniLac is the largest renewable thermal network ever built in Geneva. In the future, 350 buildings will be connected to it for cooling and heating.
This large-scale project began in 2019, and the main part of the work is now complete. Two networks are connected to this STAP: one connects the center of Geneva and the other serves the airport area and the Etang district in Vernier. This second network operates in a closed loop.
The visit will include an indoor part at the heart of the station, with a presentation of the technical elements and the two networks, and an outdoor part showing the current and future technical and environmental features.
Visit limited to 40 participants.
Technical Visit 3 - DuPont Meyrin Innovation Center
Transportation will be provided to and from DuPont Meyrin Innovation Center and Palexpo.
- Departure from Palexpo: 8:45am
- Return to Palexpo: Approx. 1:15pm
From extending the life of electrical equipment and preventing premature failures to protecting industrial workers from heat, flame and arc flash, DuPont Nomex® products deliver the superior quality, proven performance and uncompromised protection to keep people and valuable assets safe in hazardous conditions.
Visit our application labs to get insights on DuPont focus on innovation and collaborations aimed at enhancing efficiency and sustainability in transformer operations, as well as in industrial worker protection.
Participants are invited to explore advanced characterization technologies, alongside our pilot spinning line and practical application tests, including our Thermo-Man®, a full-scale mannequin created to evaluate the performance of flame-resistant personal protective equipment.
Visit limited to 40 participants.
Technical Visit 4 – Alpiq Veytaux Power Plant
Transportation will be provided to and from Alpiq Veytaux Power Plant and Palexpo.
- Departure from Palexpo: 8:30am
- Return to Palexpo: Approx. 1:30pm
The Forces Motrices Hongrin-Léman SA (FMHL) hydroelectric scheme comprises the Hongrin dam in the Vaud Pre-Alps and two underground pumped storage power plants on the shores of Lake Geneva at Veytaux.
With a capacity of 480 megawatts (MW), including 60 MW in reserve, the FMHL scheme enables the waters of Lac de l'Hongrin to be turbined when demand for electricity is high.
Conversely, when electricity supply exceeds demand, water from Lake Geneva is pumped 880 metres higher, into Lac de l'Hongrin. Lac de l'Hongrin has a capacity of 52 million m3, equivalent to around 100 GWh, or 10 days' electricity consumption for the canton of Vaud.
The volume of Lake Geneva, on the other hand, means that its capacity is limitless.
The facility produces around one billion kilowatt-hours of peak energy per year, equivalent to the consumption of nearly 300,000 households.
The visit will include viewing the existing Veytaux power station and visiting the new Veytaux power plant. Warm clothing and good shoes are recommended.
Please note: This visit to an hydroelectric power plant is not suitable for pacemaker wearers.
Visit limited to 30 participants.
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