- The energy transition requires huge investment. Where in the energy system is investment required, what investment is required and why is this important?
- How do governments and industry work together to overcome supply chain constraints and promote and ensure the energy transition is smooth, affordable and enables security?
- How do governments ensure net zero energy is cost competitive for the consumer?
- What is the continued role of gas, and how will nuclear change approaches to the energy transition
- How do governments and industry invest in the raw materials required, but ensure that their use is not done at the expense of local ecosystems?
Solar & Clean Energy Forum
Monday 16th January
13.30 | Opening Keynote
H.E. Eng. Sharif Alolama
Undersecretary for Energy & Petroleum Affairs
Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, UAE
13.40 | Presentation: Nigeria’s energy transition
13.50 | Presentation: Energy transition – a view from Norway
14.00 | Presentation: Decarbonizing the grid - corporate renewable energy purchasing
14.10 | Panel: Investing in the energy transition
Confirmed speakers:
14:50 | Panel: Making the grid fit for energy transition
- National grids must be able to handle different forms of energy - mixing traditional, renewables and nuclear.
- What investment and capital spending is required to ensure energy grids are fit for purpose?
- According to research, the three main barriers to grid projects are permits and approvals lead times, disrupted global supply chains, and a skills shortage. How can these be successfully tackled?
Confirmed speakers:
Ahmed AlMazrouei
Director of Regulation & Supervision Dept.,
Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, UAE
15.30 | Presentation: Smart grids
- An outline of what a smart grid is, and what benefits it can bring
- What a smart grid offers both consumers and energy suppliers
Presented by:
15.45 | Panel: COP27 outcomes and preparing for COP28
- What energy initiatives and adaptations from COP27 will shape discussions for COP28?
- What will COP28 mean for UAE energy plans?
- How will the private and public sector embrace ambitions that meet targets set during COP and help nations towards their net zero goals?
Confirmed speakers:
Eng. Mozah Alnuaimi
Director of Productivity & Demand Management
Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, UAE
16.30 | Close of day 1
Tuesday 17th January
10.30 | Presentation: Net zero ambitions in energy
10.45 | Presentation: Managing the energy trilemma
- In current financial conditions, can we still marry the energy trilemma of cost, security and sustainability, or will one leg have to give?
- How does the industry balance each part of the trilemma, how and what benefits does this bring both the energy sector and consumers?
Presented by:
11.00 | Panel: What are the routes to meeting net zero ambitions?
- How can governments help accelerate their plans for net zero - or at least lower carbon - energy systems? What will the tipping points be?
- Governments have put in place net zero targets - can they be met with current clean energy build and commissioning rates? Is the region building the required energy infrastructure at a rate fast enough to meet net zero targets?
- How will plans for renewables and battery storage be managed in combination with plans for nuclear and gas to meet net zero ambitions?
Confirmed speakers:
11.40 | Panel: Long duration energy storage
- Providing flexibility for future energy systems, this panel looks at what long duration energy storage is and why it is becoming increasingly important
- The discussion will provide examples of current use and market growth predictions, and look at the benefits and challenges faced
- It will also discuss approaches to building a strong finance model for storage + renewables projects
Confirmed speakers:
12.15 | Presentation: Decarbonising the grid - district cooling
- The main energy consumer on the grid is cooling systems.
- This presentation outlines the role of district cooling, where its use can be increased, and the energy and water efficiency measures it must take to also decarbonise
Presented by:
12.30 | Presentation: Mesia Solar Outlook report
Presented by:
12.45 | Break
14.00 | Presentation: A Global Perspective on CCS – Projects, Policies, and Required Actions
- The role of CCS in mitigating climate change
- Project pipeline and demand drivers for CCS
- Regional overviews – projects and policies
- Working together to scale CCS globally
Presented by:
14.15 | Presentation: Investing in a hydrogen future
- What infrastructure needs to be in place to enable the hydrogen economy within a country, and how will it be paid for?
- Is there greater risk in making large investments in hydrogen? Will market competition for exporters be far greater than oil, putting pressure on process to remain competitive?
- This presentation will focus on upcoming investments in hydrogen infrastructure
Presented by:
14.30 | Panel: Hydrogen - should green be the main focus?
- The pros and cons of different hydrogen types
- Should there also be significant focus on other hydrogen colours – why do so many organisations and government talk mainly about green?
- Examples of planned green hydrogen use
Confirmed speakers:
15.15 | Case study: Government strategies for hydrogen
Presented by:
15.30 | Case study: Incubating and accelerating solutions in green hydrogen
15.45 | Panel: Building a local hydrogen market - what needs to be in place?
- Is the future global hydrogen market/economy reality or hype?
- What must GCC countries do to ensure they are at the forefront of the hydrogen market – one that many nations are eyeing - and can export efficiently?
- Will industry customers pay a premium for the low-carbon products manufactured using hydrogen? With examples of hydrogen use in industry to create new product lines
Confirmed speakers:
16.30 | Close of day 2
Wednesday 18th January
Industry insights: The digitalisation of energy
- Each presentation will focus on a different aspect of the digitalisation underway, looking at the benefits it can bring, how it is changing thinking and the new ideas promoted due to advances in technology.
10.30 | Blockchain energy securitisation and micro grid financing
10.45 | Cloud-based apps for design and modelling
11.00 | Digital twin for wind turbine management
11.15 | Presentation: Fusion Energy
- Fusion has long been considered as a future, long-term clean energy source, but still requires much research
- To date, a viable, scalable, commercial way to harness the energy produced from fusion has not been achieved, however the technology is advancing.
- Investment in fusion technology research is accelerating - almost $3bn according to industry figures, mainly from the private sector
- This presentation outlines the fusion journey - where it has reached, the ongoing research and when we may see the technology come to fruition
Presented by:
11.30 | Presentation: Nuclear Energy
- This presentation outlines efforts to provide more clean energy in China
Presented by:
11.40 | Panel: Why data transparency is required for energy efficiency
- Talk to companies and they will say there is a lack of data transparency in the region; without which it is difficult to benchmark and monitor efficiency progress
- The lack of transparency is not restricted to just the energy industry, so how does the region foster greater openness of data and trust?
- What benefits will this bring; and what challenges must be overcome for it to happen?
Confirmed speakers:
12.15 | Case study: Ras Al Khaimah Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040
- This case study will focus on the emirate’s plans to reduce its carbon emissions through sustainable energy initiatives
- It will outline achievements to date and future plans.
Presented by:
12.30 | Break
14.00 | Panel: Green hydrogen - can associated industries scale fast enough?
- As the trend towards green hydrogen gathers pace, what role will photovoltaics, electrolysers, and other tehcnologies play in accelerating the market?
- Can systems scale quickly enough to meet demand?
- What R&D is underway to introduce new innovations into this market segment?
Confirmed speakers:
Roadblocks to the circular economy of energy - and how to overcome them
- What is the role of the circular economy in energy?
- What rules & regulations are required - and what role does government play in developing these?
- How will this help the industry, economies and the environment? Who are the key stakeholders?
14.40 | Presentation:
14.50 | Panel:
Abhay Bhargava
Vice President & Regional Head MEASA – Energy
& Environment Practice, Frost & Sullivan
15.25 | Presentation: Africa Solar Industry Outlook 2023: Achievements and perspectives
Presented by:
15.40 | Case Study: Qurayyah solar thermal plant
- Operational since December 2020 on Saudi Aramco’s premises in Qurayyah, its solar thermal plant has been developed as an industrial pilot to show the potential of energy and CO2 savings offered by TVP Solar technology.
- This case study outlines why Saudi Aramco commissioned the pilot, the associated benefits and results to date.
Presented by:
15.55 | Panel: Maximising performance from solar energy systems
- With tight budgets, it is important that energy companies get maximum ‘bang for the buck’ from their solar plants
- How do they ensure that they attain the best possible performance?
- How do manufacturers of related products, such as modules and panels, ensure they meet those performance aims?
Confirmed speakers:
