Shared Risk, Shared Reward

With the global economy more than doubling in size, the population climbing to 9 billion by 2050, and consumption and prosperity rising in tandem, meeting global energy demands in the medium- and long-term depends increasingly on key decision makers’ ability to set fourth strategies that factor in future challenges in the sector. Collaboration among policymakers and key players in the world energy scene becomes a crucial component to achieving security and stability in the context of rising global energy demand, which OPEC projects will increase 60% leading up to 2040 (2014 World Oil Outlook). Facilitating knowledge transfer, business agreements, and encouraging partnerships in this regard are top priorities for energy exhibitions, conferences, and events held in Abu Dhabi. The city sets the stage for decision makers to engage in valuable dialogue and interact with one another, discussing their long-term outlooks and sharing game-changing technologies across the spectrum of the energy mix, from fossil fuels to renewables—and the crowds keep coming in record breaking numbers.

ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE (ADIPEC)

While Abu Dhabi continues to make significant strides toward diversifying its economy away from a dependence on oil revenues, the fact remains that oil will continue to play a major part in meeting the world’s energy demands in the future. With the support of the UAE Ministry of Energy, ADNOC, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber, ADIPEC is the region’s largest oil and gas event and the largest conference program in the world. Established in 1984, ADIPEC 2014 marked the event’s 30th year serving the industry as a networking platform offering unrivaled access to key industry experts and stakeholders from around the world. The 2014 ADIPEC themes discussed were issues such as US shale gas production, the drop in oil prices, new concessions for oil companies in the UAE due to the 75 year agreement expiration in Abu Dhabi, and the progress of oil projects taking place.

ABU DHABI SUSTAINABILITY WEEK (ADSW)

With Abu Dhabi as pioneer, the future of energy will involve sources beyond fossil fuels. Illustrating the country’s commitment to the transition towards sustainable energy sources, the UAE supplies 1GW of clean energy parallel to the 2.9 million barrels of oil it provides per day to international markets. ADSW, the Middle East’s largest forum on sustainability, was established to accelerate projects and initiatives encouraging more far-reaching adoption of renewable energy in countries all around the world.

WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT (WFES)

Addressing the role for renewable energies, energy efficiency, and clean technology to contribute to future energy needs is the WFES. Part of ADSW, it is the largest sustainability gathering in the MENA region and a top event on the global renewable energy agenda. Hosted by Masdar, a multi-faceted and wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi government-owned Mubadala Development Company, the conference held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) is supported by the International Renewable Energy Agency, the first intergovernmental organization to be headquartered in the Middle East based in Abu Dhabi, and endorsed by the UAE Ministry of Energy. At the WFES, the focus is on shifting the world’s energy consumption to modern energy sources that deliver power in clean and efficient methods and revolutionizing new business models that can facilitate the transition away from environmentally detrimental energy sources. The fact that the annual WFES conference and exhibition has grown from 11,000 attendees and 300 companies participating in its first year (2008) to nearly 32,000 attendees and 650 exhibiting in 2014 speaks to the relevance and urgency of the WFES’s mission to accelerate the integration of new energies into the global mix.