Middle East Energy 2026 opened today (September 1)  at Dubai World Trade Centre, marking the 50th edition of the region’s leading energy event and bringing together global industry leaders to address energy security, resilience, rising demand and the transition to cleaner power.

The opening ceremony and exhibition walkthrough were led by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, alongside Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and David Lynn, CEO, inD.

The delegation toured the exhibition and engaged with major energy companies showcasing technologies and solutions for the sector.

In his opening address, Al Mazrouei highlighted the UAE’s diversified energy portfolio and investments in nuclear and renewable energy.

“The UAE continues to build one of the region’s most diversified energy portfolios, strengthening energy security while accelerating the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy. From the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant to the world’s largest 24/7 solar-plus-storage project, with a planned capacity of 5.2 GW of solar power and 19 GWh of battery storage, we are demonstrating that energy security, sustainability and economic growth can progress together.”

He stressed that achieving a secure and sustainable energy future will require cooperation across governments, industry, investors, technology companies, academia and financial institutions.

“However, achieving a sustainable, resilient and energy-secure energy future requires collective action. Governments, industry, investors, technology companies, academia and financial institutions must work together to meet the world's growing demand for power. We need to accelerate energy efficiency, drive innovation, reduce costs, and develop technologies that can capture and minimize energy losses across our systems.

“Greater investment in electricity interconnectivity between countries and regions will also be essential to building more efficient, resilient, and optimized energy systems. Stronger interconnected grids can unlock significant economic and operational value, improve energy security, and enable cleaner energy to be shared more effectively across borders.”

Al Mazrouei called on participants to turn discussions into practical action and strengthen partnerships across the energy sector.

“Our shared goal must be clear: to build cleaner, more efficient and better-connected energy systems capable of meeting the needs of future generations.”

The opening Leadership Summit featured speakers from the Middle East, Africa and Europe, underlining the international importance of energy resilience.

Yaser Humaidan, Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs of Bahrain, highlighted the Gulf’s strategic role in global energy markets.

"The Gulf’s strategic position has never carried greater weight. As global energy security rises to the top of political agendas, this region’s ability to deliver reliable, abundant, and increasingly clean power can shape markets far beyond our borders.”

He added: "The next 50 years will not be defined by any single technology or any single policy. They will be defined by how effectively we integrate decarbonisation, digitalisation, and resilience at the speed the demand curve and the climate curve both require.”

Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Power, Hon. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, emphasised the importance of investment and cooperation in meeting future energy demand.

“Storms we cannot forecast will come, but history teaches that energy security has never been won by those who retreated behind their borders. It has been won by those who built grids, pipelines, ports, institutions, and above all, trust. Nigeria has chosen to build. Africa has chosen to build.”

Lucie Berger, Ambassador of the European Union to the UAE, focused on the importance of resilient and diversified clean energy systems.

“We live in an age of irreversible energy transitions. The countries and regions that build resilient, diversified clean tech energy systems will be more secure and more prosperous.

“Those that cling to old models will fall behind. The Middle East and Europe possess every ingredient for success: renewable resources at scale and the private sector capital needed to drive this transition. What is required now is action. The European Union is committed to deploying resources and mobilising our companies to partner on concrete projects and investments that deliver results. Let's build this energy future together through real business partnerships and tangible projects.”

Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), said the energy transition must extend beyond renewable generation to encompass infrastructure and system flexibility.

“The energy transition is therefore not only about adding renewable capacity. It is about building more resilient, flexible, and secure energy systems supported by investment in grids, storage, digitalisation, and system flexibility. The energy systems we build this decade will shape our climate economic outcomes, economic competitiveness, and strategic resilience over decades to come.”

The first day features more than 30 additional sessions covering energy and technology trends, with speakers including Mozah Alnuaimi, Chief AI Officer at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure; Jennifer Granholm, former US Secretary of Energy and former Governor of Michigan; Rae Kwon Chung, former Climate Change Ambassador for South Korea and 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner; Chris Skidmore, former UK Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth; and Dr. Abdulla Humaid Saif Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Department of Energy.

Specialist programmes include the Technical Excellence Forum, The Battery Show Forum, Intersolar Middle East Conference and Energy Storage Middle East.

The event also launched the first Dubai Global Leaders Series session, featuring exclusive roundtables, networking and summits hosted by Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism and inD. The initiative brings senior leaders together for closed-door discussions on policy, technology and capital.

Running from September 1-3, Middle East Energy 2026 features more than 1,500 exhibitors and thousands of participants from over 120 countries.

The event will also host major MOU signings involving companies including Siemens, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Hitachi Energy and Union Iron & Steel, reinforcing its role as a platform for investment, partnerships and the development of future energy infrastructure. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service