Sustainable future supply in the spotlight on Day Two of World Utilities Congress

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the World Utilities Congress 2023 concluded its second day with high level discussions carving the sustainable future of power and water utilities. 

The second edition of the World Utilities Congress 2023, hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), continued with industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers from across the globe addressing the integral role power and water play in supporting decarbonisation of industry and the path to net-zero.

Day two’s strategic conference highlight was the ministerial session, titled ‘Geopolitics and water-energy security: assessing impact,’ where global leaders discussed how worldwide events shifting the energy supply and demand dynamics are affecting the reliability and affordability of supply. Water and energy security were in the spotlight with speakers who highlighted the latest innovations aimed at delivering sustainable energy and water supplies for the future.

Speakers included His Excellency Eng. Awaidha Murshed Ali Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE); His Excellency Walid Fayad, Minister of Energy and Water for Lebanon and His Excellency Alberto Pimentel Mata, Minister of Energy and Mines for Guatemala.

Speaking during the session, His Excellency Eng. Awaidha Murshed Ali Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), said: “At the DoE, we aim to strike a balance between how much demand is truly a demand for the growth population and how we supply that considering the impact on the environment and costs. We have implemented an integrated energy model, which enables us to appropriately test any policy choice and monitor regulations.”

During the session titled ‘Pursuing energy security and sustainability in parallel,’ speakers discussed the critical priorities for balancing security and sustainability given evolving water and power supply dynamics.

Government and industry panellists included Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, Founder and CEO of DLO Energy Resources Group Pty Ltd. and Daniela Gentile - Ansaldo Green Tech CEO and Chief Innovation Officer at Ansaldo Energia.

Global energy leaders and city planners united at the global panel session, titled ‘Decarbonising cities,’ to address the critical role played by urban environments to facilitate the energy transition. With significant portions of global greenhouse emissions generated by cities, panellists addressed opportunities to offset the carbon impact during urban planning, through the integration of renewable energy, technological innovation, and the reduction of power and water demand.

Speakers included Sylvie Jéhanno, CEO of Dalkia, an EDF Group subsidiary; Khalid Al Qubaisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Energy Services (ADES); Khalid Abdulla Al Marzooqi, Tabreed's Chief Executive Officer; Renaud Capris, CEO of Enova; and Santiago Bañales López, Managing Director of Iberdrola Innovation Middle East.

Commenting on the low-carbon energy mix for the future of urban living, Sylvie Jehanno said, “At Dalkia, our main goal is to consume less and consume more efficiently by producing low-carbon energy and adopting sustainable solutions. Digitalization plays a key role, and we ensure to apply data management and connected solutions to achieve our goals.”

The overhaul of carbon-intensive grids alongside the expansion of renewable energy production and storage capacity was discussed at length at the Industry Dialogue session titled ‘No transition without transmission’. Participants on the panel explored the various challenges associated with enhancing transmission infrastructure and the role technology will play in realising heightened levels of operational efficiency.

During his participation on a global panel on the importance of upgrading power transmission infrastructure to support the transition to a clean energy future, Omar Al Hashmi, Executive Director, Transmission & Distribution, said: “Many estimates suggest electricity demand could more than double by 2050 to reach net-zero. We need to make sure we are prepared to meet that demand. In order to do this, we need to upgrade our grids, build more high-voltage transmission lines that can carry electricity long distances, and use those transmission lines to better connect regions and communities to one another.”

Al Hashmi added: “At TAQA, we understand our asset infrastructure is the literal pathway to a more sustainable future. It is through our transmission networks that we can help decarbonise the broader energy system, while also meeting the increase in consumer demand.”

The evolving nature of power-water interdependency was discussed on the panel titled ‘Dawn of a new era in the power-water nexus’. The session touched upon the impact water desalination plants have had on helping balance peak demand for power, along with the increasing importance of reverse osmosis. Panellists also discussed the impact that renewable energy sources have had on the relationship between power and water.

Running from 8-10 May at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the World Utilities Congress features a Strategic Conference, Technical Conference and dedicated Nuclear Energy Forum that run in parallel over the three-day event. The Congress welcomes energy ministers, over 10,000 industry professionals, 1,000 conference delegates, 250 expert speakers, and 150 exhibiting companies from across the entire utilities value chain.

Hosted by TAQA and organised by dmg events, the World Utilities Congress is supported by the UAE’s Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC).