Middle East Energy 2020 ... a successful show.
Energy-packed online platform
The ongoing Middle East Energy Dubai is being held as a four-week series of online events which conclude on June 9. A look at the highlights of the event which was previously known as Middle East Electricity.
01 June 2021
Middle East Energy Dubai 2021 has just launched its Critical and Backup Power Week in the third of its four-week series of online events which opened on May 17.
Formerly known as Middle East Electricity, the major energy event is being held as a virtual platform for discussion and information sharing in view of the global pandemic. It is focusing on the key sectors of Renewable and Clean Energy, Transmission and Distribution, Critical and Backup Power and Energy Consumption and Management.
The Critical and Backup Power sector focus week is taking place online from May 31 until June 2, 2021.
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Konieczna ... creating dialogue is paramount. |
As part of the first session of the day, Making Energy Accessible to All: The Opportunities and Challenges around Off-Grid Power, experts Joel Sam, Head of Impact Research, Africa Green Co and David Lecoque, CEO, Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), highlighted the necessity to provide electricity access to millions.
Lecoque stressed that despite the progress being made, 870 million people today still lack access to electricity, with another 1.5 billion suffering from unreliable services.
“These numbers are exacerbated by the global population growth, which means that at current rates, the electrification will mean that around 620 million people will remain without access to clean and affordable electricity by 2030, of which 85 per cent will be living in Sub-Saharan Africa,” he added.
As part of the solution to the problem, Lecoque outlined the need for decentralised renewable energies (DRE). He said: “DREs are poised to be the least-cost electrification option for more than half of all connections needed to provide sustainable electricity for all by 2030. DREs do so in a way that is fast, cost-effective and clean.
“They provide rural and peri-urban communities with sustainable electricity services to power livelihoods, doing so in a way that catalyses socio-economic development and local green job creation, that is future-proof, and that is effectively addressing climate change.”
Rounding out sessions on day one were Reducing fuel consumption: hybrid gen-set and renewable energy technologies by Gorkum Soyumer, Head of New Business and Product Innovation, Siraj Power. While sessions on How Technology is Revolutionising the Energy Industry, Decarbonising the Critical and Backup Power Industry and Latest technologies in Storage Solutions concluded the day.
Other key highlights during Middle East Energy’s third virtual focus week include, on day two, sessions on Securing Energy Security for Critical Infrastructure, Innovative Backup Power Solutions for data centres, and Energy Storage, Management and Efficiency. There will be a deep dive into the back-up power market on day three, exploring the latest trends and opportunities.
A mainstay of the virtual week is the series of product pitches and sponsored sessions. During the Critical and Backup Power sector week, companies including Perkins, Alcad, Cummins, Woodward and Saft will all present their latest technology advances focusing on alternators, diesel engines, controls and auto transfer switch control modules.
Claudia Konieczna, Exhibition Director, Middle East Energy, said: “Our partners and sponsors are an integral part of facilitating connections and driving the industry forward. As an event, we pride ourselves on showcasing the latest innovations and solutions within the energy sector. This is particularly important from a power continuity perspective, with much of the world’s critical infrastructure including data centres, medical facilities, transport and education driven by a sustained power supply.”
The Energy Startup Hub, run in partnership with Green Climate Ventures and sponsored by Schneider Electric, also returns for a third week. The hub provides global energy startups with a platform to showcase their innovations to a panel of investors and industry experts. The winner will be announced during the final week of the virtual showcase starting 7 June.
Renewable & Clean Energy debuted as the theme for Middle East Energy’s inaugural virtual focus week.
Konieczna said: “We expect renewable and clean energy to account for 34 per cent of total power sector investments across the Mena region in the next five years. Naturally, with the demand for new power capacity increasing in the region, one of the hot topics of discussion is renewable and clean energy and how countries are advancing initiatives in this sector. Creating dialogue on this subject is paramount to supporting Middle East Energy’s attendees in all future decision-making processes.”
