Nuaimi Opens Power And Water Expo In Abu Dhabi

Three-day event kicks off with planning, sustainability and supply on top of agenda as UAE and wider GCC enters period of unprecedented demand-led growth

HE Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, CEO Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa), officially opened the third Power Generation and Water Middle East show today (17 October 2010) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

“Planning, sustainability and supply are the key issues that we have highlighted in our strategic plan and with the support of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) we are confident of achieving our objectives,” said Al Nuaimi.

The three-day event, which finishes on Tuesday 19 October will focus on the region’s strategy approach to power and water supply, highlighting the considerable opportunities for companies operating in the water and power sectors.

“With budget reviews and austerity measures announced in many of the more developed economies in Europe and the US, companies operating in the water and power sectors are finding a wealth of opportunity here in the UAE and wider Middle East,” said Anita Mathews, Exhibition Director at event organiser IIR Middle East.

Mathews was clearly referring to recent industry research which revealed that primary energy demand in the UAE will increase 71% by 2019 and that the UAE would need to increase its output by at least 5% per annum to meet that demand, until 2020.

“Currently there are almost $1.4 trillion worth of development projects planned or under way throughout the GCC countries, with the UAE responsible for over 50% of those projects. In terms of power and water, Abu Dhabi has committed to spend $16.3 billion over the next five years alone,” added Mathews.

The UAE currently also has one of the highest rates of water consumption in the world and with almost 17% of the UAE’s population under the age of 15 domestic water consumption is bound to rise considerably over the next 10 to 20 years, not to mention commercial and industrial demand. Therefore long term planning, sustainability and continuous supply will be the key drivers of government strategy through 2030,” added Mathews.

In total, 117 exhibitors from 26 countries covering in excess of 6,000 square metres, are taking part in the event, which covers all aspects of power generation and water resource sustainability from development and construction through to delivery and ancillary services. Notable participants include Siemens, Hyundai, NGK Insulators and SWAN Systems.

Today (17 October) meanwhile at the Power & Water Leaders’ Forum, the focus was on delivering sustainable business practices. International, regional and local experts from United States, United Kingdom, Jordan and the UAE, addressed over 300 delegates and the main topic under discussion was the diverse avenues sustainability can take to support the region’s future energy and water needs from both a supply and financial perspective.

During his keynote session, Toufic Allaf, the technical advisor and business planner for Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) outlined the role that the utility provider plays in ensuring the sustainable supply of water and power.

Darrin Rovere, President of Jordan-based Sustainability Excellence presented an outline of why sustainable working practices are key to the future of power supply for the Middle East. During his presentation, he also discussed sustainability as a management framework to tackle the transformative challenges facing the industry.

Later on Scott Minos, Senior Policy & Communications Specialist, US Department of Energy, discussed how the Obama Administration had adopted an alternative energy policy to that of George W. Bush and what the GCC could learn from its efficiency models.

For more information log on to www.powergenerationme.com
 

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