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A total of 8 ministers and 1 commissioner have now agreed to join the Summit's line including H.E. Mohammed bin Dha'en Al Hamili, U.A.E. Minister of Energy, H.E. Connie Hedegaard, Danish Minister of Environment and Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner of Energy.
Richard Hease, Chairman of Turret Middle East, organisers of the event, says:
"The Summit's 106 speaker line up representing business, strategy, commerce, finance, policy and technology is by far the strongest of any such renewable energy summit in the world. It is the "Davos" for Future Energy ideas and solutions."
Abu Dhabi has made a dramatic impression on the renewable and alternative energy industry with large chunks of the industry migrating to participate alongside the Masdar initiative in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, January 19-21st. Summit organisers expect 15,000 visitors to see over 300 technology and services companies in the exhibition from 27 countries including Jordan, Palestine, Qatar, Oman, Iran, India and Saudi Arabia; and 11 national pavilions with including the US, Japan, Spain, Holland and Switzerland.
"World Future Energy Summit is a meeting place for technologists, manufacturers, engineers, scientists, investors and politicians who all have an interest in mitigating and reducing global warming," said Kevin Parker, Global Head of Deutsche Bank Asset Management, speaking on January 19th. "These people represent a unique combination of ideas, expertise, regulation and capital."
Over 106 speakers from 24 countries will bring conference delegates through 2 keynote sessions covering future energy policy and strategy and 15 technical streams of commercial presentations including solar PV, green buildings and carbon capture storage. Investors have dedicated streams on Jan 20th: venture and private equity investments, financing infrastructure projects and the Cleantech group will host 2 dedicated showcases about clean technology trends and investment in the Arab world.
According to Lord Stern, speaking at the summit on Jan 19th, "The only form of growth that can continue in the medium term is low-carbon growth." This view is shared by another renowned summit speaker, Vinod Khosla, who says "The consensus on the risks we face from climate change creates a huge new market for low carbon energy."
The conference and technical streams will look at upcoming government and blue chip energy strategies and examine on-going commercial projects, offering crucial industry insight into where governments are moving and what technologies can feasibly bring them there. "I will be discussing the role of coal in helping to satisfy society's ever-growing need for affordable, clean energy" said Preston Chiaro, CEO, Energy and Minerals, Rio Tinto who will speak in keynote session 1 on January 19th.
The summit has a total of 51 sponsors and media partners. As principal sponsor, Bassam Yammine, Co-CEO of Credit Suisse Middle East and Head of Investment Banking and Asset Management for Credit Suisse in the Middle East said: "This unique event is very important for the Middle East and its future growth."
The Summit will be the 1st meeting of the renewable industry and private sector since the United Nations conference on climate change in Poznan this December. With a new climate change agreement to replace the Kyoto protocol being agreed at the end of 2009, the World Future Energy Summit will be the most important gathering of the renewable and alternative industry in a year of crucial UN negotiations.
Posted by Siba Sami Ammari
