Abu Dhabi is a leading renewable market, according to WFES experts

If someone had said five years ago that the largest conference and exhibition in renewable energy was in Abu Dhabi, you probably would have laughed.

However, the World Future Energy Summit has broken all kinds of records and won numerous international awards.

With the powerhouse of renewable energy, Germany, hitting recession and general downturn in investments in renewable energy, what attracts 300 companies to exhibit in Abu Dhabi?

"In terms of policy and leadership, the response from the Middle East is quite revolutionary", said Prashant Kapoor, Director of Sustainability, WSP, when asked about the demand for green building solutions.

"In the west, people are ahead of the developers in demanding sustainability. In the Middle East, it's the leaders and the corporations that are driving this".

So sustainability is more than a buzz word. However, companies cannot survive on principles and need business.

According to Hans Sulewski, technology manager for ABB's process automation for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region "In the MEA region there are constantly new projects announced for developments in various industries. These developments require a tremendous amount of power."

The United Arab Emirates ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2005 but does not have to reduce its carbon emissions as classified as a developing country. However, with initiatives such as MASDAR and The World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself to be a major clean energy provider wherever the future of energy lies.

According to the Lionel Fretz, C.E.O of Carbon Capital Markets,"We have seen the development of a clear and strategic focus on renewable power generation and low carbon technologies in Abu Dhabi. They have announced plans to spearhead a $7 billion CDM market in the region." Clean development mechanism (CDM) is a system for carbon offsetting set up under the Kyoto Protocol, governments can invest in greenhouse gas reduction projects and use it as credit against their own pollution.

One of America's largest engineering firms, CH2M Hill, has seen a seen a shift in the Abu Dhabi market from traditional energy resources to renewable. "Thanks to the leadership in UAE, the business opportunities have increased significantly around the renewable energy which attracts companies like CH2M HILL to Abu Dhabi."

But you cannot forget about the basic competitive advantage of the Middle East: no taxes, labour flexibility, strategic location within a region of two billion people and the transportation hub that it has created. "The gulf provides the right environment to developers and equipment suppliers to establish launching pads covering a vast market for renewable" said Patrick Blanchard, global head of project and sectorial finance, Dexia.

John Mogge, Senior VP of CH2M Hill will be speaking also. ABB are participating in the WFES exhibition.