Middle East Energy is looking to turbo-charge the sector’s transition when the 48th edition of the region’s leading energy event opens at the Dubai World Trade Centre next month (March 7 to 9) in what is expected to be its biggest showing in its 48-year history.

For the first time, the event will host a strategic conference, a high-level forum exclusively focused on today’s complex opportunities and challenges for senior energy and utilities decision-makers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), according to the organiser.

The conference, themed ‘Powering The Energy Transition’, has been launched by the organiser Informa Markets in the wake of industry demand as energy leaders globally look for fresh insights into enabling sector transition, efficiency, supply resilience and sustainability.

“For almost 50 years, Middle East Energy has brought together global buyers and sellers who have advanced the sector, but the 2023 event comes at a pivotal time in the industry’s evolution as worldwide energy challenges impact economic and social performance, fuelling intense governmental and consumer pressure to find solutions,” explained Azzan Mohammed, Informa’s Exhibition Director, Energy portfolio – MEA.

Participants at last year’s event.

Over the event’s three days, the strategic conference will dive deep into the planning and policies that will drive MEA’s future energy outlook and examine ways of decarbonising the energy and utilities sectors and drive industry-wide digitalisation and innovation.

Unprecedented challenges such as a need for increased investment, a growing demand for hydrogen, and industry-wide collaboration to tackle carbon emissions has boosted interest in Middle East Energy 2023, an industry exhibition and conference with over 20,000 energy professionals forecast to attend.

More than 800 exhibitors from 170 countries are so far confirmed for the exhibition’s five dedicated product sectors of backup generators and critical power, transmission and distribution, energy conservation and management, smart solutions as well as renewables and clean energy.

“Registrations are pouring in, and all the signs are for a record turnout,” added Mohammed. “And with companies looking to invest in alternative and technology-led solutions, we also envisage the show beating the onsite business deals tally of the last show which totalled over $705 million.”

Alongside the strategic conference, the event will also host the Intersolar Middle East Conference, in partnership with Intersolar and Electric Energy Storage, to provide insights into the transformative global dynamics of renewables. The forum is designed to be an unrivalled platform for both public and private sectors to explore critical issues, key developments, investment opportunities, and rising energy ecosystem trends, said Mohammed.

Technical seminars will explore the practical application of the latest sector research, innovation, and technological advancements empowering stakeholders building, operating, and maintaining power plants, as well as transmission and distribution grids.

Meanwhile, the newly-introduced CEO Roundtables will see industry leaders engage in peer-to-peer discussions focused on emerging market opportunities in the renewables and critical and backup power sectors, as well as grid investment plans.

“The conferences and roundtables combine to produce a solutions powerhouse which will identify industry pain points and outline a blueprint to fasten down energy transition, while case studies will inspire real-world and practical solutions to energy challenges and lay the groundwork for integrating renewables into the mix,” added Mohammed.

The 2023 event will also see the return of Middle East Energy’s successful Hosted Buyer Programme, which brings key industry stakeholders, investors, and suppliers from across the globe in direct contact with over 100 direct purchasing authorisers and influencers to explore business opportunities. The programme has a strong track record of business development and has won acclaim from both sides of the buying equation.

Sponsors of this year’s event include Al Fanar, Baudouin, and Ducab.