Siemens holds energy conference for policy makers in Africa, Middle East

Siemens Energy & partners are holding a major Middle East and Africa focused virtual conference, entitled ‘Shaping the Energy of Tomorrow’, from October 19 – 21, 2020, to drive forward the sustainability and decarbonization agenda. The event is coming just weeks after Siemens Energy got listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on September 28, following a spin-off from Siemens AG.

With the long-term impacts of Covid-19 and a fundamental shift in energy markets still being realized, now is the moment for the energy industry to collaborate to realize a future that is sustainable, efficient, affordable and accessible, in line with the ideals laid out by UN Sustainable Goal 7, the company said in a press release issued on Friday.

The MEA Energy Week conference is being held in partnership with the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK); the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ghorfa); the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS); and Masdar, a global leader in renewable energy and sustainable urban development, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi government’s Mubadala Investment Company.

Speakers lined up for the event’s eight panel sessions include regional ministers, CEOs, energy and finance industry leaders and Siemens Energy experts. Ministers from Benin, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria and the UAE will participate in the conference. Senior executives from Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company, ADNOC, Crescent Petroleum, DEWA, Euler Hermes, Masdar, Mubadala and Saudi Aramco have also confirmed their participation.

The panelists will address the numerous challenges and opportunities that the energy industry faces amid the twin goals of improving access to energy and meeting growing demand on the one hand, while also doing so in an environmentally and financially sustainable manner. Topics such as financing sustainable energy projects, integrating renewables into grids, incorporating digitalization and automaton, decarbonizing hydrocarbon intensive industries, and utilizing green hydrogen, will be at the forefront of panel discussions.

“Around 850 million people on our planet still lack access to reliable electricity, this must be improved,” said Dietmar Siersdorfer, Siemens Energy Middle East Managing Director. “As an independent company, Siemens Energy has the entrepreneurial flexibility to help shape the global transformation of the energy markets in a sustainable and economically successful manner. But this change can only be achieved with global awareness, willingness to adapt and strong partnerships. That is what makes this event so important. The impressive list of participants highlights the desire to collaborate on finding solutions to the challenges.”

According to Dr. Volker Treier, Chief Executive of Foreign Trade and Member of the Executive Board, DIHK, “The ‘Shaping the Energy of Tomorrow’ virtual conference is a remarkable initiative that aims to create an excellent platform to discuss the essential economic challenges of today and tomorrow. The event brings together energy industry leaders and policymakers at a time of potentially drastic change for the energy industry.”

“Together with Siemens Energy, Arab decision-makers and energy experts joining this conference, we are aiming to generate more collaborations to advance a sustainable energy future through the implementations of ambitious agendas and the adoption of new technologies and innovations,” said Abdulaziz Al-Mikhlafi, Secretary General Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Shaping the path of the energy transition, could be realized only via dialogue and addressing challenges, to ensure sustainable transformation and support the economic recovery following COVID-19”.

“We must continue to focus our effort to change the way we live our lives in order to get ahead of global issues such as climate change that are facing humanity today. This means turning discussions into actions, as seen with our recently launched global initiative – The Green Chain, which aims to decarbonise industry, deploy Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for global good, accelerate the use of clean energy, and promote social responsibility across borders.” said Badr Al-Olama, Head of the Organising Committee for the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS).

“If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we need to prepare today to deliver a sustainable future tomorrow – we need to work together to make the transition to a clean energy world. ‘Shaping the Energy of Tomorrow’ aligns with Masdar’s mission to advance the development of viable sustainability solutions, and we look forward to engaging with Siemens Energy and other partners at this pivotal time for the energy sector,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar.

It is estimated that about one-sixth of the world’s power generation is already based on technologies from Siemens Energy.