Today's Edition
KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (ABU DHABI)
Billed as the world's largest and most influential oil and gas expo, the annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) is back at ADNEC this week with a renewed focus on the energy industry's plans for AI and renewable transition.
On Sunday, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) CEO and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber set the tone for the 40th edition of the premiere energy event, inviting members to "explore every possible solution" in the week ahead.
"We are at a pivotal moment for human progress driven by three megatrends – the rise of the Global South, the accelerated energy transformation, and the rapid growth of AI," Dr. Al Jaber said.
"AI is an era-defining innovation that is altering the pace of change itself, resetting the boundaries of productivity and the possibilities of progress. But in doing so, it is also creating a power surge that nobody accounted for just 18 months ago."
The conference will run from November 4 to 7 and is expected to attract 184,000 participants from 164 countries, featuring sessions with global leaders in the energy space.
This will include ministers and 200 C-suite executives from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
The 16-hall exhibition will accommodate more than 2,200 exhibitors, including 54 national and international energy companies, and 30 country pavilions across several specialised areas including the Decarbonisation Zone, Digitalisation Zone, and Maritime & Logistics Zone.
For the first time, it will also include an AI Zone which will present solutions to increasing strain on energy systems, as well as a focus on emerging technology. These will be presented through a number of immersive spaces, demos and networking spaces.
Jaber added, "ADIPEC will serve as a platform to connect the minds that are transforming the energy landscape. Where leaders, innovators and policymakers from across the sector, including many new voices, will explore the energy needs of growing global populations and new technologies, as well as experience the groundbreaking innovations that are shaping our global energy system."
The event will also welcome key financiers and banking chiefs from around the world to discuss the mobilisation of capital for the global energy transition.
Crucially, this will
include conversations surrounding the inequity of financing around the world, as well as the need to create strong regulatory frameworks.
Christopher Hudson, President of dmg events, the organiser of ADIPEC, said, "One of the most significant barriers to achieving an equitable energy transition is the gap in clean energy finance and investment between the Global North and South. Developed nations have more financial resources while emerging markets need help to secure capital for large clean energy projects, slowing the transition and deepening regional inequalities."
