The eighth edition of World Future Energy Summit (WFES) will be hosted from 19-22 January 2015 during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) at ADNEC, which is expected to attract more than 32,000 visitors from 170 countries
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, WFES is expected to catalyse partnerships through the Project and Finance Village, TechTalk and the Sustainability Business Connect Program, where leading companies representing the entire energy spectrum ? from hyrocarbons to renewables ? would gather to showcase innovations and share best practices.
Hosted by Masdar, ADSW is a yearly platform that addresses the interconnected challenges of energy and water security, climate risk and sustainable development.
An Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) representative said, ?WFES has proven to be the most important energy conference in the Middle East for cultivating sustainable energy solutions that help countries to lower their carbon footprints.?
In 2014, ADNOC had launched a unique carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) joint venture with Masdar, Abu Dhabi?s renewable energy company. The joint venture ? Al Reyadah ? will capture CO2 from the UAE?s largest steelmaker and transfer it to oilfields operated by ADNOC, where it would be used to enhance oil recovery and ultimately be stored underground.
?WFES generates collaboration among industry leaders to encourage the commercialisation of energy-efficient projects throughout the region,? ADNOC added.
Maria van der Hoeven, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), noted that WFES is a platform to stimulate progress in helping the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa realise their goals in sustainable energy.
?As an event that brings together the world?s leading minds to discuss and implement innovative energy solutions, WFES is an event with far-reaching international significance,? she added.
The large solar turnout for WFES 2015 also would include US-based First Solar, which has more than eight gigawatts of installed capacity globally. Ahmed S. Nada, vice-president for the Middle East, said, ?First Solar has been a longstanding partner of the WFES and we are looking forward to its 2015 edition. From past experience, the summit and its exhibition provide an excellent platform to showcase our solutions, spotlight our expertise and thought leadership, and connect with our collaborators.?
Wind energy is another sector with tremendous growth potential that will be in focus at WFES.
According to Steve Sawyer, secretary general of Global Wind Energy Council and a panelist in a WFES discussion on local content requirements for stimulating energy industry growth, WFES is a unique gathering, bringing together an eclectic selection of the key players in the industry with policymakers from the region and globally.
In addition to WFES, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week from 17-24 January would also feature the third International Water Summit (IWS), the second edition of EcoWASTE, and the seventh Zayed Future Energy Prize Award Ceremony as well as the fifth General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency.
