His Excellency Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), has officially inaugurated the sixth edition of the Power + Water Middle East exhibition today.

Held in partnership with ADWEA, and taking place until 25 September at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the three-day event opens as Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries aim to boost the regional power sector by increasing investments and looking out for alternative sources of power.

According to a recent report by the Kuwait Financial Centre ‘Markaz’, power demand in MENA countries is expected to grow at a rate of seven per cent over the next 10 years, with an estimated US$283 billion to be invested within the region’s power sector between 2014 and 2018.

Furthermore, the Energy Guidebook for industries in GCC, published by Doha based Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), said that GCC states are projected to invest more than US$300 billion in some 20 energy projects by 2020, which will generate eight gigawatts of additional power.

More than 100 exhibitors will be looking to capitalise on the rapid rise of power investments across the region at Power + Water Middle East, which is set to attract more than 4,000 visitors over the next three days.

Anita Mathews, Director of Informa Energy Group, organisers of Power + Water Middle East, said: “The 2013 edition of Power + Water Middle East will showcase some of the most innovative technologies and viable solutions by leading and established companies to meet the MENA region’s growing energy demands.”

Along with a dedicated exhibition, the event features the Power + Water Leader’s Forum, taking place today (23 September). The one-day forum highlights sustainable best practices and innovative business solutions across the regional water and energy sectors, attracting an expert line-up of speakers at the forefront of the energy sector.

Saeed Nasouri, Technical Advisor of ADWEA delivered the keynote address about the Authority’s initiatives to support a sustainable power and water strategy, highlighting the latest technologies and best practices across its network. Nasouri said that ADWEA ensures power and water is produced in a competitive way across the emirate, thereby helping to reduce overall system costs and meet rapidly increasing demand.

Added Matthews: “Our esteemed panel of international speakers from across the region and around the world will present innovative thinking for discussion. Healthy debates about the challenges for energy efficient developments and investments will be high on the agenda.”

The Power + Water Leader’s Forum is chaired by Eithe Treanor, Founder and Managing Director of ETreanor Media, with headline speakers including Naoki Tamaki, Vice Committee Chair of the Project Finance Committee at Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JIBC); and Maarten Wolfs, Middle East Utilities Project Finance Leader at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

They will be joined by Carlos Pone, CEO of Southern Gulf and Pakistan at global power and automation technology company, ABB, who will highlight current energy efficiency related trends and challenges in the Middle East.

A new addition this year at Abu Dhabi’s showcase event for the energy sector is the Power + Water Workshop 2013 organised by the Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC) Low Voltage Switchgear Committee (LVSGC).

Taking place tomorrow (24 September) the one-day workshop will present a pre-qualification of low voltage equipment installed at customer premises in Abu Dhabi, followed by a plenary session about major barriers preventing the international manufacturers from entering the Abu Dhabi market.

Now in its sixth year and organised by Informa Exhibitions, Power + Water Middle East is supported by Emirates Green Building Council, Clean Energy Business Council, UAE Society of Engineers, Bahrain Society of Engineers and Confederation of Indian Industry.

The exhibition is open daily 10:00am to 6:00pm, located in halls three and four at ADNEC.
 

We accept Guest Posts