Abu Dhabi: Global leaders, experts and industry players will explore the future of energy as the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2010 starts on Monday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The event will end on January 21.
More than 98 government delegations led by heads of state, royalty, prime ministers, ministers and 1,400 CEOs will attend the summit, according to the organisers.
The summit, in its third edition, is hosted by Masdar, Abu Dhabi's multi-billion dollar investment in the development and commercialisation of innovative technologies in renewable, alternative and sustainable energies.
More than 200 speakers and 3,000 delegates are also expected to attend.
This combined with the participation of 600 exhibitors from 50 countries makes WFES a significant gathering in the region.
Solutions
Sustainable future energy solutions that will power the world, renewable energy strategies, the economics, technologies, education and investments will all come under the spotlight at the summit.
It was at the summit's previous session that the UAE government announced its commitment to source 7 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.
The keynote address will be made by Dr Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.
Among the foreign dignitaries attending the event are the President of Greece Karolos Papoulias, President of the Maldives Mohammad Nasheed, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Mohamad Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Crown Prince of Spain Felipe De Borbón Y Grecia, and Crown Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian of Denmark.
Ministers from North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa will lead the first plenary session, following a welcome address by Hélène Pelosse, the Director-General of International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).
To attend
Those attending include Ed Stelmach, Premier of Alberta, Canada; Mohammad Bin Dha'en Al Hamili, UAE Minister of Energy; Dr Farooq Abdullah, Minister of New and Renewable Energy, India; Hany Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Ghana; Moritz Leuenberger, Minister of Energy, Environment and Communication in Switzerland; Maria van der Hoeven, Minister of Economic Affairs, The Netherlands; Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Economic Affairs, Finland; Jesca Eriyo, Minister of State for the Environment, Uganda; Ola Altera, Secretary of State for Energy, Sweden; Tadahiro Matsushita, Senior Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan and Kim Young-hak, Vice Minister for Trade and Energy, South Korea.
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