Planet Earth’s most prolific and abundant source of renewable energy will come under the spotlight at World Future Energy Summit 2022in Abu Dhabi, in the form of the vitally importantSolar Expo & Forum. The Summit will be held as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2022, hosted by Masdar. TheSolar Expo is the world’s leading business event for future energy and sustainability and will focus particularly on the latest innovations and economic opportunities available through harnessing the power of sunlight.
Huge Business Opportunities
The market potential demonstrated by solar energy is undeniably huge, with industry speculators forecasting that renewable electricity generation in 2021 is set to expand by more than 8% to reach 8,300 TWh – the fastest year-on-year growth since the 1970s. Solar PV and wind are set to contribute two-thirds of renewables growth1.
“Along with the comprehensive suite of forums and expos that will be hosted at the exhibition, we will be gathering the world’s leading experts in solar energy,” said Grant Tuchten, Group Event Director at World Future Energy Summit. “They will be joined by hundreds of policymakers, government officials, local buyers, project developers, entrepreneurs and financiers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa.All of them will be able to exchange ideas, explore best practices and showcase the very latest in clean energy technology.”
The Push for Clean Energy
Governments around the world have strict targets to meet in the near future, with drastically reduced carbon emissions a top priority after committing to the Paris Agreement, which came into force on 4 November 2016, and of which the UAE is a signatory. The emirates have been at the forefront of clean energy adoption and the country’s climate makes PV solar an obvious choice. In fact the UAE is aiming to generate half of its entire electricity supply from renewable sources by 2050, with PV being the main driver. Dubai’s own targets are ambitious, with a stated goal of sourcing 75% of its power generation from renewables by 2050.2
This is not a unique observation. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), solar capacity in the MENA region could reach up to 8,309 MW by 2022 as the region is steadily adding more renewable energy projects to meet the countries’ targets, included in their energy transition strategies. Frost& Sullivan also estimates that additional investment in solar in MENA could reach $182.3 billion by the year 2025.3
What to Expect
The Solar Expo will host the world’s leading renewable energy companies and specialists will demonstrate their latest developments and innovations. There will be a particular focus on a wide variety of solar-related technologies, including utility-scale energy systems,photovoltaic –(PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), rooftop solar solutions, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Other solar hardware will feature, too,such as modules, trackers, mounting systems and inverters, PV plus storage systems, as well as operations and maintenance services.
The indisputable economic benefits of turning to clean energy will be discussed at the Solar & Clean EnergyForum, featuring expert guest speakers from across the MENA region and beyond.They will consider a wide variety of important topics such as planning for energy transition, energy storage, grid stability, project investment, asset management, predictive O&M, distributed solar and advanced technologies.
Dan Shugar is the CEO and founder of Nextracker, a solar solutions provider headquartered in California that will also be exhibiting its technology advancements at the Solar Expo & Forum.
“We’re thrilled to be participating in the World Future Energy Summit 2022, to meet with our regional customers face to face in this incredibly exciting market,” he said. “Despite global health and supply chain setbacks, utility-scale solar in MENA was able to triumph owed in part to firm government commitments to decarbonise. Being part of this hugely influential event, in a region where solar energy plays such a vital part of the future energy mix is simply an opportunity nobody in our industry can afford to miss.”
Another event exhibitor, JinkoSolar, is one of the world’s leading solar module manufacturers. Ilham Haddouchi, the company’s MEA Marketing Manager, agreed that the Solar Expo & Forum is perfect for showcasing its projects and innovations. “JinkoSolar works tirelessly in the pursuit of a sustainable future,” she said, “by delivering efficient, clean and economically sensible solar energy solutions. Our clients vary from utility and commercial to residential, and we can interact across all these sectors at the Solar Expo. We shake things up, promote change and react to the shifting demands of users,optimise the energy portfolio and take responsibility for enabling a sustainable future. The Solar Expo is perfect for achieving those aims.”
The Solar Expo &Forum will take place during World Future Energy Summit2022, which will be hosted by Masdar from 17-19 January as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.