Tuesday 27 May 2025
Wednesday 28 May 2025
Thursday 29 May 2025
Topics: Power generation, Renewables, Water & Energy Transition
10:00 - 10:45
Private VIP Exhibition Tour
11:00 - 11:30
Opening Ceremony
11:30 - 12:00
Looking ahead to COP30: strengthening the role of energy in updated national plans
Ministerial Panel
COP29 was a turning point in climate action. It set ambitious finance goals and needed to deliver clean energy transitions for all economies. It set bold finance goals and aimed to deliver clean energy transitions for all economies. A target of $300 billion each year has been set to help vulnerable nations build resilience, expand energy access, and promote sustainable development. Looking forward, leaders in the energy sector and policymakers must join forces. They need to raise the ambition of the next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) before COP30. To limit climate change impacts, NDC creators should maximise their technical ambitions. This means setting bolder targets and aligning them with national policies. Stronger NDCs can guide national climate action and speed up the global shift to clean energy technologies. What opportunities and challenges lie ahead? What role can the energy sector play in inspiring more ambitious targets?
Attendee Insights
Explore the implications of the 2025 NDC updates for the sector, including lessons learned from previous rounds and their role in advancing towards a low-carbon future. Gain insights into new expectations, challenges, and strategies to align with the 1.5°C target.
12:00 - 12:15
Shifting policies and energy transition: immediate and future impacts
Energy Talk
The US has emerged as a global leader in decarbonisation, driven by generous investment incentives. However, recent political changes signal shifting policy priorities, raising concerns about reduced support for low-carbon initiatives. Potential cuts to EV incentives, slowed progress in green hydrogen and CCUS, and expanded fossil fuel generation could reshape the energy landscape. How will these changes impact investors, technology developers, and the broader energy transition?
Attendee Insights
Gain expert insights into how shifting US policies could reshape low-carbon investments, technology development, and energy markets. Explore strategies for navigating policy uncertainty and ensuring long-term resilience in the energy transition.
12:15 - 12:30
Capital strategies for energy investment: driving long-term growth
Energy Talk
As global targets push to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030, securing sustainable finance has never been more critical. Recalibrating the global energy system presents both challenges and opportunities for stakeholders. Collaboration across investor types—private equity, multilateral institutions, and public funds—is essential to mobilise capital at scale. How can sustainable finance be de-risked to attract more investment and support energy transition efforts in both developed and developing markets? The UAE recognises the need for bold climate investments and sees this shift as a catalyst for economic growth. Its commitment includes bridging the financing gap through sustainable financing by UAE banks by 2030 and contributions to the International Monetary Fund’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust to support climate-vulnerable nations.
Attendee insights
Explore how innovative financial structures can unlock investment for climate action, expand concessional financing, and enhance private sector participation. Gain insights into the evolving role of multilateral development banks in mobilising resources for national climate commitments.
12:30 - 12:45
The power couple – AI and energy: transforming the future of power systems
Energy Talk
Energy companies are uniquely positioned to lead in applying AI advancements due to their strong foundation in data, analytics, and engineering. However, as AI becomes essential for managing the growing complexity of energy systems, it also presents a significant challenge: AI itself consumes vast amounts of energy. As energy transition introduces more renewable generation and regulatory changes, AI is becoming essential for managing the growing complexity of energy systems. Companies are already leveraging machine learning to enhance operational efficiencies, with documented performance improvements of 10%-25%. How can AI help the energy sector navigate the volatility of intermittent renewables, evolving regulations, and the need for reliable energy supply? What are the strategies for balancing centralised AI innovation with edge solutions, fostering open collaboration while protecting proprietary technologies, and achieving both incremental and transformative gains?
Attendee Insights
Discover how AI is revolutionising energy systems by enhancing grid stability, optimising operations, and accelerating innovation. Gain insights into balancing centralised and edge AI solutions while fostering collaboration in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.
12:45 - 13:00
Regional energy outlook and strategic priorities
Energy Talk
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch & Networking
14:00 - 14:45
Shaping the future of utilities in emerging economies
Ministerial Panel
Themes: Strengthening policies and partnerships for future utilities capacity building, and building resilient and flexible energy infrastructure
Our climate future largely depends on whether Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) can successfully transition to cleaner energy systems. The IEA’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme turns targets into action, accelerating progress towards the goal of global net zero emissions through secure and people-centered clean energy transitions, focusing on major emerging and developing economies. In developing countries utilities struggle to meet growing power demands and integrate renewable energy sources into their grids, a necessity for achieving universal access to clean, reliable, and affordable electricity for all. However, these regions attract only a fifth of global clean energy investments due to higher real and perceived risks, including political instability, regulatory barriers, unreliable off-taker arrangements, foreign currency volatility, and grid integration issues. These risks drive up the cost of capital, constraining financial flows and hindering socio-economic development. Supportive policies and international collaboration are crucial to overcoming financial constraints and fostering sustainable growth. By prioritising energy security, environmental responsibility, and economic development, emerging economies can build resilient, competitive utility sectors that align with global sustainability goals.
Attendee Insights
Explore how emerging markets can balance energy security, environmental stewardship, and economic growth to maintain competitiveness in global utilities.
14:45 - 15:15
Transforming water scarcity into opportunities through sustainable, and circular management strategies
Industry Dialogue
Water scarcity presents both a challenge and an opportunity to redefine how we manage our most vital resource. Sustainable and circular water management strategies are paving the way for transformative solutions, focusing on water conservation, efficient resource management, and supply enhancement. Innovative practices such as water recycling and reuse are gaining traction across residential, commercial, industrial, and construction sectors. Onsite water reuse systems are significantly reducing water consumption, while businesses and large-scale construction projects are incorporating recycling solutions to meet environmental goals and reduce operational costs. In the energy sector, power plants are minimising freshwater withdrawals by adopting water reuse, enhancing climate resilience and the sustainability of energy production. Efficient resource management and these forward-thinking practices are reducing the strain on infrastructure, increasing climate resilience, and delivering long-term economic benefits.
Attendee Insights
Industry experts will share actionable insights into how sustainable water management practices are shaping the future. Discover innovative strategies to conserve water, enhance resource efficiency, and build resilient systems that align with your sustainability goals.
15:15 - 16:00
Road to a new world of power interconnectivity
Global Leadership Panel
As the global energy landscape shifts toward a cleaner and more resilient future, power interconnectivity is becoming the backbone of this transition. Modernised, interconnected grids enable seamless cross-border energy flows, ensuring the efficient integration of renewable sources while enhancing reliability and reducing transmission losses. With global grid investments projected to reach $2 trillion over the next decade (IEA), utilities must navigate rising costs, regulatory complexities, and infrastructure expansion to unlock the full potential of interconnection. Leveraging Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and smart grid technologies will be critical in optimising energy flows, improving efficiency, and fortifying grid resilience. However, challenges such as transmission bottlenecks, lengthy interconnection queues, and the need for enhanced cross-border collaboration must be addressed to create a truly integrated energy system; one that delivers stability, affordability, and sustainability for the future.
Attendee insights
Discover how advanced grid interconnectivity is reshaping the future of energy; unlocking seamless cross-border power flows, enhancing renewable integration, and driving a resilient, efficient, and sustainable global energy network.
16:00 - 16:45
From generation to demand: powering the flexibility revolution
Global Leadership Panel
The energy sector is on the brink of a flexibility revolution, where the ability to adapt, respond, and optimise will redefine the entire power value chain—from generation to demand. Flexibility is no longer an option but a necessity. By 2050, energy storage is expected to meet over 50% of global flexibility needs, while $21 trillion (WEF) in grid upgrades will be essential for modernising infrastructure. Demand response is shifting from a passive adjustment to an AI-driven, real-time balancing tool, empowering consumers to actively shape grid stability. Hydrogen and advanced storage technologies will lead the long-duration energy transition, while natural gas remains a key stabiliser. The future hinges on overcoming interconnection bottlenecks, accelerating digitalisation, and fostering cross-border collaboration, paving the way for a more responsive, resilient, and sustainable energy system.
Attendee insights
Gain a forward-looking perspective on how flexibility innovations; from AI-driven demand response to advanced storage and hydrogen are transforming the energy landscape, ensuring a smarter, more resilient, and future-ready grid.
10:00 - 10:45
Securing water access across borders
Ministerial Panel
The global water crisis is escalating, with 153 countries relying on transboundary waters, yet only 28% of these countries have effective agreements to co-manage these vital resources, according to a UNESCO and UNECE report. As climate change worsens water scarcity and competition for freshwater resources increases, cooperation among nations sharing water bodies becomes crucial. Countries sharing rivers and lakes show higher levels of cooperation, while areas like sub-Saharan Africa have made significant progress in recent years. The Water Convention, adopted in 1992, and innovative strategies such as Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) can provide essential frameworks for joint management. For government and utility leaders, investing in infrastructure and technology, such as real-time data sharing, is key to enhancing cross-border water access and ensuring the sustainable management of these critical resources.
Attendee Insights
Global ministers and leaders will discuss successful strategies, share valuable experiences, and engage in meaningful dialogue to enhance cross-border water security, addressing the critical challenges of water scarcity and cooperation to secure equitable access to water for all.
10:45 - 11:00
Global energy by 2030 – IEA
Keynote
The World Energy Outlook 2024 outlines a shifting energy landscape shaped by geopolitical risks, evolving market dynamics, and the rapid deployment of renewables. By 2030, low-emissions sources are expected to generate more than half of global electricity, while fossil fuel demand is projected to peak. However, the transition remains uneven, with policy and investment decisions often reinforcing existing inefficiencies. Key uncertainties include the pace of renewable adoption, growth in electric mobility and LNG demand, and the impact of AI, efficiency policies, and extreme weather on electricity demand. Driven by cost competitiveness and energy security, renewables are expanding faster than government targets, with wind and solar PV alone set to double their share to 30%. This shift presents challenges in integrating variable renewable sources while ensuring grid stability and reliability. How can we accelerate the momentum of clean energy, leverage economic drivers for growth, and address critical policy and infrastructure developments to ensure a sustainable energy future?
Attendee Insights
Discover how the rapid growth of renewable energy is reshaping the global power landscape and driving the shift toward a cleaner, more cost-competitive future. Gain insights into the challenges of integrating variable renewables into power grids, the economic forces fueling the transition, and the critical policy and infrastructure investments needed to ensure a secure, sustainable energy system by 2030.
11:00 - 11:45
Realising the ambition: tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050
Global Leadership Panel
The global push to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050 is gaining significant momentum, with 31 countries now committed to this goal. Nuclear energy is anticipated to play a vital role in tackling climate change, currently accounting for 9% of global electricity and preventing 2.1 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA). However, achieving this vision will necessitate overcoming significant challenges, including securing the $100 billion in annual investments highlighted by the International Energy Agency (IEA), streamlining regulatory frameworks, and building public trust in nuclear safety. Enhancing collaboration among governments, investing in next-generation technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), and fostering global knowledge networks are crucial for unlocking nuclear energy’s potential as a cornerstone of a sustainable, low-carbon future.
Attendee Insights
Explore how tripling nuclear energy capacity by 2050 can become a reality through innovative investments, streamlined regulations, and enhanced public confidence. Learn the strategies that will ensure nuclear energy plays a central role in the global transition to a sustainable energy future.
11:45 - 12:15
Advancing the desalination agenda, towards water security
Global Leadership Panel
As global water demand continues to rise, with freshwater resources becoming increasingly strained, desalination technologies are playing a significant role in advancing water security, particularly in regions facing severe water scarcity, such as the Middle East. Once considered a critical solution to freshwater shortages, desalination has now become an even more essential strategy as nations explore sustainable methods to secure their water supply. The desalination market is expanding rapidly, with countries focusing on innovative alternatives to meet growing water demands. However, challenges such as high energy consumption, brine disposal, and substantial capital investments remain. Despite these hurdles, advancements in desalination technologies, such as reverse osmosis, multi-effect distillation, and emerging innovations like membrane distillation, are making processes more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable. Furthermore, nuclear desalination is gaining traction as a low-carbon alternative to conventional methods. By integrating renewable energy sources like solar and wind into desalination projects, the reliance on fossil fuels is minimised, and carbon footprints are reduced, paving the way for sustainable, long-term water security solutions.
Attendee Insights
Discover how advanced desalination technologies, fueled by renewable energy, overcome challenges and how cross-industry collaboration is key to ensuring a sustainable water future in the face of global water scarcity.
12:15 - 13:00
Is standardisation a pathway to resilient clean energy supply chains?
Global Leadership Panel
IRENA estimates that to meet the 1.5°C climate target by 2030, the world needs to invest $720 billion annually in power grids and $1,550 billion in renewable energy. In September 2024, leading utility companies in the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA) announced plans to invest over $116 billion each year in clean energy and grid infrastructure. This investment aims to accelerate electrification and transform power systems. By 2030, UNEZA partners plan to increase their renewable portfolios by 2.6 times and modernise grid infrastructure. It is crucial to enhance the sustainability of clean energy technologies throughout the entire lifecycle—from sourcing and manufacturing to transportation and installation. Additionally, implementing mandates for harmonised international standards for critical equipment will promote interoperability and streamline supply chains, ensuring greater efficiency and reliability in the transition to clean energy. A collaborated global effort will be needed to deliver the committed energy transition targets.
Attendee insights
Gain insights into strategies for overcoming barriers, fostering collaboration between utilities, OEMs, and policymakers, and ensuring that supply chains can support the rapid scale-up of clean energy technologies needed for advancing climate action.
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch & Networking
14:00 - 14:30
Natural gas: evolving its role from energy transition to a low carbon energy future
Industry Dialogue
Demand for natural gas is growing globally, offering a lower carbon alternative to oil and coal particularly in power generation as a balancing to intermittency of renewable energy sources. As a foundational component in a transitioning and multi-faceted global energy system, natural gas has the advantage of being a commercially scaled energy source that brings with it a lower carbon profile to nations seeking to transition away from coal. For utilities, its flexibility in complementing renewable energy sources, combined with advances like smart grids, energy storage, and mechanisms such as ‘linepack’, ensures grid stability and resilience. Global collaborations, such as the EU’s smart grid initiatives and U.S. partnerships, are further accelerating the development of adaptable, future-ready infrastructure. However, while natural gas remains critical today in balancing the priority of energy security with climate ambitions, its long-term role in a low or no carbon energy future will be influenced by factors such as renewable energy growth, emissions agendas, policy and investment shifts, and advances in carbon management technology.
Attendee Insights
Discover how natural gas is revolutionising utilities by ensuring grid stability and bridging the gap between renewable energy and reliable power. Gain exclusive insights into its growing demand, its crucial role in the energy transition, and how global collaborations are shaping a resilient, sustainable energy future.
14:30 - 15:00
Maximising the potential of generative AI for power sector organisations
Industry Dialogue
The power sector is entering a transformative era, with generative AI set to revolutionise operations through its ability to rapidly process vast amounts of data, support decision making and identify patterns. Early adopters, including 16% of the top 25 utilities, are harnessing this technology to tackle challenges in grid management, resource planning, cost optimisation, and sustainability by optimising power distribution, improving electricity demand forecasting, and enhancing operational efficiency through predictive maintenance and automation. However, organisations must assess where generative AI can best integrate with their digital strategies, decide whether to adopt off-the-shelf solutions or invest in customised solutions, and address challenges such as data bias, privacy, safety, and safety, and governance to ensure responsible and secure implementation, maximising the benefits generative AI can bring.
Attendee Insights
This session will examine how utilities can align AI integration with their digital strategies, whether by adopting existing tools or exploring innovative solutions. Attendees will also gain insights into tackling key challenges such as data bias, privacy, safety, and governance, ensuring responsible and secure implementation of AI technologies.
15:00 - 15:15
Utilities operations and infrastructure: embedding security and contingency across the value chain
Energy Talk
As the utilities sector becomes increasingly digitalised, the integration of advanced technologies is enhancing operational efficiency through smart grid systems, predictive maintenance using AI, and data analytics to optimise resource management. These technologies enable real-time energy consumption monitoring and automated demand response for consumers. However, this connectivity also brings heightened cybersecurity risks, potentially compromising the operability and security of critical power infrastructure. The World Economic Forum's Global Risk Report 2024 highlights cybercrime, AI-related risks, and extreme weather events as major global threats, creating challenges for both short-term decision-making and long-term planning. Safeguarding interconnected systems like water networks, power grids, and renewable energy facilities demands a collaborative effort between public and private stakeholders, with an emphasis on resilience and robust security measures.
Attendee Insights
Understand how to develop integrated cyber-physical security frameworks to address vulnerabilities in energy supply chains, adopt emerging technologies like AI and blockchain safely, and comply with stringent cybersecurity regulations while maintaining operational integrity and trust. Additionally, explore collaborative strategies to mitigate global risks and enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure.
15:15 - 16:00
The next frontier: revolutionising water infrastructure with smart innovation and collaboration
Global Leadership Panel
Technological innovations are key to modernising water infrastructure. Global water threats, like droughts, pollution, and climate change, are intensifying and by 2030, freshwater demand may outstrip supply by 40% (World Economic Forum). Emerging technologies, such as IoT and AI, can reduce losses, optimise distribution and enable early leak detection and real-time monitoring. Collaboration among utilities, tech providers, and governments is essential to scale solutions and integrate new water management technologies to address the growing challenges of water scarcity and increasing demand. The increasing demand for water infrastructure repair technologies underscores the urgent need for investment in modernising and future-proofing water systems to meet these challenges.
Attendee Insights
Understand from industry leaders how to enhance the resilience and efficiency of water infrastructure, leverage emerging technologies, and the vital role of collaboration between governments, and private sectors.
16:00 - 16:30
Low carbon and green hydrogen: navigating challenges to open opportunities
Global Leadership Panel
Hydrogen is increasingly seen as a low-carbon solution for balancing supply and demand in renewable energy systems through energy storage and grid stabilization. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), reaching 50 million tons of green hydrogen production by 2030 is crucial for meeting global net zero goals. However, the low-carbon and green hydrogen markets are still in their early stages and scaling them up requires solving significant challenges including high production costs, infrastructure requirements, storage complexities, and developing a reliable supply chain. Utilities face challenges like high production costs, the need for significant infrastructure investments, and technological hurdles. As costs decrease and technologies mature, low-carbon and green hydrogen is expected to play an increasingly important role in the utility sector's transition to a cleaner energy future.
Attendee Insights
Discuss actionable insights and real-world strategies that are overcoming the challenges of scaling green hydrogen, revolutionising the utilities sector, driving decarbonisation, and creating pathways toward sustainable energy systems.
16:30 - 17:00
Amplifying the impact of energy efficiency, the first fuel in energy transition
Industry Dialogue
Energy efficiency is key for sustainable development. It provides environmental and economic benefits while helping to reduce CO2 emissions quickly and affordably. Fatih Birol from the IEA calls energy efficiency the "first fuel" in clean energy transitions. It is the fastest and cheapest way to cut emissions, improve energy security, and support a fair energy transition. To meet climate goals, we must double the global pace of energy efficiency this decade. The UAE has made this a priority through its National Demand Side Management (DSM) Programme. This aligns with sustainability goals to optimise resources, lower consumption, and promote economic growth. Together, efficiency, electrification, behavioural change, and digitalisation will lower global energy intensity and speed up the energy transition.
Attendee insights
Attendees will gain insights into the critical role of energy efficiency in sustainable development. Explore how initiatives like the UAE's National Demand Side Management (DSM) Programme are driving progress in energy optimisation, resource reduction, and economic growth, while supporting the global energy transition.
10:00 - 10:45
Redefining the future of the water-energy-food nexus through technology advances
Global Leadership Panel
The growing demands on water, energy, and food systems are reshaping how utilities approach resource management. By 2050, the global population is expected to require a 60% increase in food production, while energy consumption is expected to rise by 80%, and water demand, in developing countries, is expected to climb by 55% by 2025. Agriculture, which consumes over 70% of global freshwater, is a major driver of these pressures. By integrating renewable energy, utilities can improve grid resilience, sustainability and efficiency, optimising resource use across the water-energy-food nexus. Smart grid solutions enable real-time monitoring and predictive management, allowing utilities to balance energy supply and demand while minimising waste. Furthermore, data-driven insights support decisions that help utilities to optimise water and energy distribution, reduce carbon footprints, and establish a sustainable approach to managing interconnected resource needs for a growing global population.
Attendee Insights
Gain insights into how smart grids, renewable energy, and real-time data empower utilities to optimise resource management, reduce carbon footprints, and build a sustainable future amidst growing global demands.
10:45 - 11:30
Catalysing clean energy finance and investment to deliver energy transition at a global scale
Global Leadership Panel
Global clean energy investment has nearly doubled in the past decade. Yet, it still falls short of what's needed to meet climate targets. According to IRENA, we need $35-44 trillion in clean energy finance by 2030 to achieve global decarbonisation. Green bonds, blended finance, and risk mitigation are essential to attract this investment. Effective policy frameworks, like carbon pricing and clean energy mandates, will also mobilise crucial funds. Continued R&D is vital to reduce costs for technologies like direct air capture and long-duration energy storage. An equitable energy transition is necessary for global decarbonisation. The IEA's roadmap states that developing economies need $80-100 billion annually in concessional funding for clean energy. Today, only about 1% of this funding reaches these nations; the rest goes to developed countries. Governments, financial institutions, and the private sector must coordinate efforts to meet decarbonisation goals, drawing on the GCC’s sustainable finance frameworks as models for broader energy transition efforts.
Attendee Insights
Gain insights into accelerating both private and public sector investments to close the climate adaptation financing gap, particularly in the Global South. Key discussions will focus on innovative risk allocation strategies, de-risking mechanisms, and how the GCC’s sustainable finance frameworks can serve as models for broader energy transition efforts.
11:30 - 12:15
Driving scale and responsible growth in carbon markets
Global Leadership Panel
Carbon markets have the potential to make a positive and effective contribution to global climate action. However, to achieve their full potential, they must develop and grow while maintaining high standards of integrity and credibility. Establishing robust standards and principles, such as carbon principles and transparency and oversight, will be critical to building global market confidence. It will also be key to developing enhanced market infrastructure to handle large-scale trade volume and integrate technology to increase market efficiency and accountability. Market fragmentation must also be addressed to clear a pathway for unified market mechanisms, including harmonised registry data, a centralised registry, pricing transparency and core carbon reference contracts. As legal and regulatory frameworks are developed to define carbon credits and create clear guidelines and incentives for market participation, governments in the Middle East and Africa are advocating for more coordinated policies to expand the voluntary market. Scaling carbon markets responsibly would have the dual impact of effectively advancing emissions reductions and mobilising critical climate action financing.
Attendee Insights
Attendees will gain insights into how carbon markets can support net zero goals and the energy transition. Speakers will address the challenges of fragmentation, lack of standardisation, and transparency.
12:15 - 13:00
Revolutionising urban living: Solutions for creating sustainable, low-carbon cities
Global Leadership Panel
Urban populations are soaring globally, placing immense pressure on infrastructure, energy, transportation, and waste systems. As urbanisation continues to accelerate, solutions are urgently needed to accommodate exponential growth. The integration of smart mobility, modernised energy grids and storage, and renewable energy sources, complemented by data analytics platforms, offers a powerful pathway to resilient, low-carbon cities with reduced emissions, and optimised energy use and urban mobility. By enhancing grid resilience, cities can unlock unparalleled resource efficiency while minimising waste. AI-powered transportation systems will not only ease congestion but also improve air quality and reduce fossil fuel reliance. Meanwhile, innovations in waste management, integrated with digital technologies, will optimise recycling processes and ensure that urban areas manage resources more sustainably. Together, these innovations will create a sustainable, connected, and forward-thinking urban environment.
Attendee Insights
Discover how integrating renewable energy, smart mobility, and waste management solutions can transform urban living into a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient future. Explore actionable strategies for building low-carbon, resource-optimised cities
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch & Networking
14:00 - 14:45
From concept to commercialisation: achieving scale for critical climate tech
Global Leadership Panel
Innovation and technology hold the key to speeding up decarbonisation and energy transition, taking us towards a more sustainable future. According to McKinsey, existing climate technologies can mitigate up to 90% of projected 2050 man-made emissions, with 10% of this potential coming from commercially mature solutions. Climate technologies are vital for achieving a sustainable future, but they need multiple early-stage deployments to achieve commercial adoption. They also rely on project development expertise, community support, and proven commercial demand. Many technologies required for climate adaptation and mitigation, such as AI-driven solutions, face funding shortages that hinder their scalability. In the United States, the Inflation Reduction Act has encouraged wide-scale investment in the low-carbon energy economy, enabling clean technology investments to grow by 225% to $303 billion since its enactment. Bridging the gap will require a combination of innovative financing mechanisms, enhanced regional collaboration, better regulatory frameworks, and other strategic actions.
Attendee Insights
Gain insights into how climate technologies can help mitigate emissions, the challenges of early-stage deployments, the strategies needed to overcome funding shortages, and scale AI-driven solutions for a low carbon future.
14:45 - 15:30
Critical minerals: the key to energy transition or a pending bottleneck
Global Leadership Panel
By 2040, the demand for minerals in clean energy technologies could quadruple if the Paris Agreement goals are met. According to the IEA, in a net zero scenario, this demand could increase sixfold. Yet, today's mineral supply and investment plans are insufficient for the energy sector's transformation, risking delays or higher costs. The concentration of production and complex supply chains make them more vulnerable to disruptions, trade restrictions, or geopolitical issues in key producing countries. As critical minerals become more important in a decarbonising energy system energy leaders and policymakers must work together to respond to evolving market dynamics and competition as well as rising demand to ensure critical minerals remain a vital enabler for the transition to clean energy or rather than becoming a bottleneck.
Attendee Insights
Explore strategies to scale up supply chains for critical minerals, tackling shortages to prevent transition delays and competition for control over value chains. Insights will also focus on cutting resource intensity in mining, ensuring ethical sourcing, and promoting global collaboration to secure sustainable supply chains for an energy system that is decarbonising.
15:30 - 16:00
Navigating the energy sector’s talent transition
Industry Dialogue
As the energy transition accelerates, workforce dynamics are evolving to meet the needs of a clean energy economy. The International Renewable Energy Agency projects energy sector employment could reach 139 million by 2030, with 16 million workers moving into clean energy roles. Sixty percent of these new positions will require post-school training and reskilling, highlighting the importance of investing in strategic workforce development. The younger generation has considerable potential to contribute to the energy transition, both through participation in decision-making and by joining the skilled workforce in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean mobility sectors. Young people are increasingly playing a vital role in achieving energy goals and tackling climate change and energy transition. Utility-scale solar and wind are experiencing record investments and capacity additions, making up nearly 90% of new builds in 2024. However, energy companies are facing growing competition for talent, particularly in green skills, from sectors such as technology. To succeed, the sector must address critical skills gaps and redefine the employee value proposition.
Attendee Insights
This session will explore leadership strategies for inspiring workforce engagement across demographics, fostering innovation, and scaling the “green” energy workforce to support ambitious climate goals.
