Middle East Energy, the region’s leading energy event, will turbocharge the sector’s transition when the 48th edition of the exhibition and conference powerhouse opens in Dubai on March 7 featuring over 800 exhibitors from 170 countries as well as 20,000 energy professionals and utilities decision-makers.

 

For the first time, the event will host a strategic conference, the only high-level forum exclusively focused on unpacking today’s complex opportunities and challenges for senior energy and utilities decision-makers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), said the organisers, Informa Markets.

 

The conference, themed ‘Powering The Energy Transition’ has been launched by Informa Markets in the wake of industry demand as energy leaders globally look for fresh insights into enabling sector transition, efficiency, supply resilience and sustainability.

 

"For almost 50 years, Middle East Energy has brought together global buyers and sellers who have advanced the sector, but the 2023 event comes at a pivotal time in the industry’s evolution as worldwide energy challenges impact economic and social performance, fuelling intense governmental and consumer pressure to find solutions," explained Azzan Mohammed, the Informa’s Exhibition Director, Energy portfolio – MEA.

 

During the three-day event – the Strategic Conference will deep-dive into the planning and policies that will drive MEA’s future energy outlook and examine ways of decarbonising the energy and utilities sectors and drive industry-wide digitalisation and innovation.

 

"Unprecedented challenges such as a need for increased investment, a growing demand for hydrogen, and industry-wide collaboration to tackle carbon emissions has boosted interest in Middle East Energy 2023 – an industry exhibition and conference trio with over 20,000 energy professionals forecast to attend, what is expected to be, the largest in the event’s history," said Mohammed. 

 

Over 800 exhibitors from 170 countries are so far confirmed for the exhibition’s five dedicated product sectors of backup generators and critical power, transmission and distribution, energy conservation and management, smart solutions as well as renewables and clean energy.

 

"Registrations are pouring in, and all the signs are for a record turnout," stated Mohammed. 

 

"And with companies looking to invest in alternative and technology-led solutions, we also envisage the show beating the onsite business deals tally of the last show which totalled over US $705 million," he added.

 

Alongside the Strategic Conference, the event will also host the Intersolar Middle East Conference, in partnership with Intersolar and Electric Energy Storage, to unearth insights into the transformative global dynamics of renewables. 

 

The Forum is designed to be an unrivalled platform for both public and private sectors to explore critical issues, key developments, investment opportunities, and rising energy ecosystem trends, stated the organisers.

 

Technical seminars will explore the practical application of the latest sector research, innovation, and technological advancements empowering stakeholders building, operating, and maintaining power plants, as well as transmission and distribution grids.

 

Meanwhile, the newly-introduced CEO Roundtables will see industry leaders engage in peer-to-peer discussions focused on emerging market opportunities in the renewables and critical and backup power sectors, as well as grid investment plans.

 

"The conferences and roundtables combine to produce a solutions powerhouse which will identify industry pain points and outline a blueprint to fasten down energy transition, while case studies will inspire real-world and practical solutions to energy challenges and lay the groundwork for integrating renewables into the mix," stated Mohammed.

 

According to him, the 2023 event will also see the return of Middle East Energy’s successful Hosted Buyer Programme, which brings key industry stakeholders, investors, and suppliers from across the globe in direct contact with over 100 direct purchasing authorisers and influencers to explore business opportunities. 

 

The programme has a strong track record of business development and has won acclaim from both sides of the buying equation.

 

Caroline Chema Eric, a public-private partnerships consultant with the World Bank, was hosted at the last event and validates its delivery. 

 

"The Hosted Buyer programme was incredible, from the preparation and logistics to attend the show and conference. I was looking for contacts as the World Bank is preparing a number of projects in the power sector and my role is to find credible private sector actors for various components from generation to transmission distribution and also product suppliers, and I found them," she added.

 

The key sponsors for Middle East Energy include Al Fanar, Baudouin, and Ducab.-TradeArabia News Service