DUBAI - The energy sector across the Middle East & North Africa is facing the dual challenge of meeting rising demand while addressing a pressing need to shift to low-carbon systems, according to the latest major industry report released ahead of Middle East Energy, the global energy platform, which will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from March 3-5.

Energy & Utilities Market Outlook Report 2020, produced by GRS Research & Strategy and commissioned by Informa Markets, organisers of Middle East Energy, comes as investment in the region’s power sector is estimated to be worth US $260 billion by 2022.

"Energy systems around the world are going through rapid transitions that affect many aspects of our lives," states the report. "The continuation and acceleration of these shifts will initiate a global energy transition that will bring about significant changes to the way we fuel our cars, heat our homes, and power our industries in the coming decades." The report, based on a survey of more than 2,000 energy sector operators, has identified the GCC as the highest potential market for future-focused energy business opportunities, accounting for 32.8 percent of anticipated transactions.

Middle East Energy’s Plenary Sessions will feature six dedicated discussions and more than 40 speakers delivering over strategic dialogue on the issues at the core of the long-term development of the MENA region’s power sector.

"As the global energy platform, Middle East Energy gathers the leading lights of the worldwide industry to examine the major issues, explore opportunities and set the agenda for the future. The plenary sessions and the wider conference series will deliver expert insights into the major transformation of the energy sector," explained Claudia Konieczna, Exhibition Director, Middle East Energy. "The conference series is a bespoke industry platform created with the full support of a high-level advisory board, to provide specific market information designed to meet the needs of all our visitors." The sessions will probe topics which are now fundamental to the sector’s transition, including new business models operating within the energy industry, the power of digital and effective renewables integration. They are part of a three-pronged Middle East Energy conference programme which has attracted more than 150 experts from the UK, USA, Europe, China, the Middle East and North Africa to a two-day Renewables Conference and a series of seminars devoted to Digitalisation In Energy.

More than 1,300 companies are due to take part in Middle East Energy across the exhibition’s five product sectors – Digitalisation, Power Generation, Transmission & Distribution, Energy Consumption & Management and Renewables.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.