Water, Energy, Technology And Environment Exhibition (WETEX)

As climate challenges accelerate and the demand for reliable water and energy sources increases, governments and businesses worldwide are rethinking their approaches to resource management and environmental protection. The water, energy, technology and environment exhibition (WETEX) addressed these urgent issues by bringing together global leaders and innovators to shape the future of clean energy, water conservation, and sustainable technologies. This event aimed to advance the critical solutions needed to ensure stability, progress, and a greener tomorrow.

As a member of the Clean Energy Business Council, we were honored to participate in the renewables and sustainability seminars.

September 30, 1:00 p.m.—2:00 p.m. GST

Grid-Ready Energy Systems — Storage, Hydrogen, And Flexibility

A strong business environment is essential for fostering innovation and investment in life sciences. Effective policies, regulatory frameworks, and financial incentives are crucial in attracting research and development, while demographic factors such as population health trends and market demand further shape the industry's growth. In an increasingly competitive global landscape, regions that strategically align these elements can position themselves as leading life sciences hubs.

The discussion highlighted how Abu Dhabi stands out with its rapidly growing life sciences cluster, leveraging targeted investments, advanced infrastructure, and supportive policies to drive innovation and international collaboration. Alejandro Longueira, a principal with Oliver Wyman's Energy and Natural Resources Practice, moderated a conversation exploring hydrogen-ready power plants and electrolyzers, assessing how these assets can serve as tools for grid balancing and support green hydrogen production. 

The session covered:

• The scaling of utility-scale energy storage: enhancing grid flexibility to accommodate the growing capacity of solar and wind energy.
• The United Arab Emirates' hydrogen pipeline network and export vision: assessing the readiness for a 2,200 km domestic hydrogen backbone by 2040 and exploring the potential for international corridors.
• Digital and flexible gird solutions: incorporating dispatch systems, predictive control technologies, and flexible electrolyzer scheduling to optimize operations effectively.

Moderator: Alejandro Longueira, principal, Oliver Wyman

Speakers: Philippe Arsonneau, infrastructure segment president, power systems division, Schneider Electric; Mohamed Daoud, vice president, Grid Automation, MEA, Hitachi Energy; Nahla Abid, vice president, sales and marketing comms, Bureau Veritas; Abdulrahman Bafaraj, projects director, Generation & Ro, EWEC; Aymen Lazreg, vice president sales, Gas Services, Siemens Energy
 

September 30, 3:40 p.m.—4:00 p.m. GST

Decarbonizing Desalination In The Gulf — Tech And Pathways

In this presentation, Arnaud Delamare, a partner with Oliver Wyman's Energy and Natural Resources Practice, focused on decarbonizing the Gulf whilst exploring practical strategies and emerging techonologies. From energy-efficiency and heat-recovery measures to renewable and low-carbon fuel integration, this discussion highlighted the actionable pathways, commercial considerations, and policy levers tailored to the Gulf's unique context to accelerate near and long-term decarbonization at scale.

Speaker: Arnaud Delamare, partner, Oliver Wyman