World Utilities Congress 2023 to galvanise the utilities sector’s response to net-zero ahead of COP28

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 second edition of the World Utilities Congress, hosted by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), will take place in Abu Dhabi from the 8-10 May, 2023. 

Organised by dmg events, the Congress will be 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).

As the UAE prepares to host COP28 later this year, the World Utilities Congress 2023 will galvanise the utilities sector’s response to net-zero and the critical role it plays in supporting the decarbonisation of industry. The event will provide an essential platform to assess the progress that has already been made, and lay the groundwork for the critical conversations that will take place at COP28.

Centred on the theme of balancing energy security with affordability and net-zero goals, the exhibition and conference will convene key international stakeholders - including policymakers, business leaders, investors, and innovators - for an incisive discussion on how the utilities sector can drive the change required to meet major climate targets.

Over three days, the World Utilities Congress will welcome 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.

This includes EDF, Engie, Baker Hughes, Huawei, ABB, Westinghouse, Tabreed, Ansaldo Energia, Exxon Mobil, Schneider Electric, and Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services, who will showcase their industry-leading products, innovations and latest technology solutions in power generation, transmission and distribution, nuclear energy, water management and desalination.

During the strategic and technical Conferences, government ministers, policymakers, and utilities industry leaders will convene to share insights, strategies and innovative solutions to the industry's major challenges: balancing reliability and affordability with environmental sustainability. Dr. Afif Saif Al Yafei, Chief Executive Officer of TRANSCO, TAQA’s wholly owned infrastructure subsidiary, is the Chair of this year’s Technical Committee.

Sponsored by Atkins Global, Urenco, and Westinghouse, the free-to attend Nuclear Energy Forum will focus on the role of nuclear energy in achieving net-zero and energy security, as well the new and emerging technologies shaping the nuclear industry.

Jasim Husain Thabet, Group CEO and Managing Director of TAQA, commented: “TAQA Group is proud to welcome the global utilities sector to the UAE once again for the World Utilities Congress. This global gathering with our peers is more important than ever as we approach COP28, to bring together all players across the utilities value chain to address the urgent needs of climate change and decarbonisation, whilst balancing continued energy security and affordability.

“As the low carbon power and water champion of Abu Dhabi and beyond, I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Khaled  bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council for his leadership and ongoing support of the Congress and we very much look forward to building on the success of last year’s event, and we believe this edition will play an even more crucial role in enabling industry leaders and key policymakers to cooperate and form productive partnerships.”

Christopher Hudson, President of Global Energy, dmg events, commented: “We are very excited about the return of the World Utilities Congress this May. Abu Dhabi is a global energy and logistics hub and a gateway to the growing economies of the MENA region and Asia, making it the perfect host city for this event.”