Month: November 2024

• Day two concludes, as technology, energy and finance leaders explore pathways for increased collaboration to drive the energy transition
• New AI Zone highlights the intersection of energy and AI at the AI conference and exhibition, showcasing innovative solutions for a secure, equitable and sustainable energy future
• Experts debate AI’s role in boosting efficiency, enhancing resilience and unlocking investment, while addressing the balance between AI’s potential and its environmental impact

 

Abu Dhabi, 5 November 2024: The potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform the energy industry and accelerate decarbonisation has emerged as a critical topic of conversation amongst energy ministers and business leaders, as was made clear at the world’s largest energy event, ADIPEC 2024.

On the opening day of ADIPEC, His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, emphasised the critical need for industry leaders to come together and support era-defining breakthroughs such as AI.

The emphasis on AI’s game-changing impact reflects a wider sense of optimism across the energy industry, as government leaders and business executives attending ADIPEC 2024 were united in the belief that AI can fast-track the energy transition and unlock new avenues for progress and prosperity.

In a session titled “The power of AI for the energy transition”, top executives from the private sector – including Tayba Al Hashemi, CEO, ADNOC Offshore, ADIPEC 2024 Chairperson; Michel Lutz, Chief Data Officer and Digital Factory Head of Data & AI, TotalEnergies; and Magzhan Kenesbai, Acting MD, AIQ – explored how AI is transforming business operations, and offered their expert insights on the long-term implications of wide-scale AI implementation.

Speaking to his company’s experience with AI, Michel Lutz, Chief Data Officer and Digital Factory Head of Data & AI, TotalEnergies, stated: “We are using AI to improve operational efficiency, which supports our company’s development in the renewables space. This allows us to better assist our clients in understanding their behaviour and what they need.”

Building on this sustained focus on AI’s role in the energy industry, speakers across ADIPEC’s ten different conferences emphasised the pressing need to address the challenges and opportunities surrounding this transformative technology. Alongside other top CEOs and energy executives, Tengku Muhammad Taufik, President & Group CEO, PETRONAS, urged industry players to adopt a measured and holistic approach to AI: “Before we perfect artificial intelligence, we need to address fundamental issues. AI can initiate either a virtuous or vicious cycle, depending on how we utilise this technology and how we feed it. While AI consumes a significant amount of energy and its production requires vast resources, it nonetheless helps economies and societies grow. It is up to us to respond wisely to the fork in the road ahead.”

Anima Anandkumar, Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Caltech, also contributed to these critical conversations, highlighting the evolving impact of AI on both the energy industry and the environment: “We should consider not just the energy reduction achieved using AI, but also the time and money saved by employing these AI models. AI is helping us take corrective action in response to natural disasters and other climate-related issues, and the more data we have available, the better our AI models will become. The impact that AI can have in designing from scratch and creating simulations enhances our work in energy and technology.”

ADIPEC’s commitment to accelerating AI-enabled energy solutions and projects was reflected in the event’s inaugural AI Zone, which featured AI studios and demo pods that showcased transformative solutions from leading energy and AI businesses. This dynamic space provided attendees with a comprehensive view of the innovations shaping the future energy system.

The space also played host to the dedicated AI Conference, where leaders from the energy, technology, and government sectors worked together to develop a strategic roadmap for integrating AI into the energy landscape.

The AI conference featured several Innovation Showcases throughout the day, where tech giants and energy majors presented their latest breakthroughs and projects in the field of AI. Participants included Neeraj Joshi, Worldwide CTO of Energy & Resources, Microsoft; Aniruddha Sharma, Chair and CEO, Carbon Clean; Dr. Mike Roshchin, Head of AI, AIQ; and Ali Al Zaabi, acting CEO of AYP/ADP, ADNOC.

The newly launched Digitalisation & Technology Conference delved into how next-generation technologies, including AI, can unlock decarbonisation and efficiency opportunities presented by Industry 4.0. Sessions covered advancements in new materials, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), with a focus on sustainable scaling of these technologies.

In the exhibition halls, companies demonstrated their latest AI-enhanced hardware and energy equipment. Attendees explored innovative products and services designed to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy sources.

As ADIPEC 2024 moves into its third day, the event continues to serve as a global platform for driving innovation, collaboration, and sustainable progress in the energy transition. With its unique blend of strategic insights and technological showcases, ADIPEC remains the premier forum for addressing the complex challenges of creating a low-carbon, high-growth future for the global energy sector.

Register to visit ADIPEC: https://bit.ly/3NSnoOh

Day 1, ADIPEC 2024: Global Ministers and CEOs Call for Accelerated Innovation and Collaboration to Fast-Track Energy Transformation

• ADIPEC 2024 kicks off in Abu Dhabi with a powerful message from Dr. Sultan Al  Jaber, rallying the energy industry to lead the world to the next phase of sustainable socioeconomic growth.
• Opening Ministerial and CEO panels confront urgent energy transition challenges and commit to collective action for a secure, equitable, sustainable energy future.
• Day 1 highlights include discussions on the intersection of energy and AI, driving investment in new technologies and fostering cross-border partnerships that can accelerate innovation.

  

 Abu Dhabi, 4 November 2024: ADIPEC 2024 opened today, marking 40 years of energy stewardship by uniting world leaders under the theme of “Connecting Minds. Transforming Energy.”  

His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, delivered the opening address and rallied the energy industry to lead the world to the next phase of sustainable socioeconomic growth. He called on the industry to capitalise on the opportunities of the global megatrends and said that harnessing the megatrends require unprecedented cross sectoral integration to accelerate sustainable growth. 

“We stand at the dawn of a new era of hope and possibility, defined by three megatrends: first, the rise of the global south and emerging markets. Second, the transformation of energy systems, and third, the exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence. These three megatrends present mega opportunities that demand mega solutions. By 2050, 1.7 billion people will join our planet, mostly in the Global South. As a result, energy markets must shift and grow and energy systems must be transformed.” 

Being held in Abu Dhabi from 4-7 November, ADIPEC 2024 is expected to gather over 184,000 attendees. More than 40 ministers and 200 global C-suite executives will be among the 1,800-plus speakers who will contribute to the 370-plus conference sessions.  

These varied global perspectives will address key energy transition priorities, emphasising the need to embrace transformational solutions such as artificial intelligence to empower lives around the world and drive global sustainability and prosperity. 

The event’s commitment to innovation and cross-border collaboration was further affirmed during ADIPEC’s first Ministerial Panel, titled ‘The new global leaders and the energy transition’, which addressed the role of policy and cross-border cooperation in shaping the energy transition and expanding access to groundbreaking climate technologies.

The session heard insights from His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, United Arab Emirates; His Excellency Shri Hardeep S Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, India; Honourable Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Republic of Uganda; and His Excellency Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Arab Republic of Egypt. 

His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, United Arab Emirates, said: “Our leaders in the UAE have always thought of the future, and we are committed to investing in more energy resources to ensure adequate supply. We are privileged to have leadership that cares about investment in energy, and our commitment to renewables, nuclear and conventional energy will continue.”

ADIPEC also featured insights from private sector leaders, as they explored the difficulties of balancing business priorities and rising energy consumption with the realities of climate change.  

During a session titled ‘Meeting escalating global energy demand whilst transitioning to a low carbon energy system’, attendees heard from the energy industry’s top executives, including Murray Auchincloss, CEO, bp; Wael Sawan, CEO, Shell; Tengku Muhammad Taufik, President & Group CEO, PETRONAS; Claudio Descalzi, CEO, Eni; and Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Executive Director, Low Carbon Solutions & International Growth, ADNOC.

Wael Sawan, CEO, Shell, shared his company’s approach to the energy transition: “We fundamentally believe that the world needs much more energy, and specifically more diversified forms of energy. As a company, we must be very clear about where we can invest our capital. Decarbonising our existing assets is the first step, and the next step in this process is changing our operations.” 

The world’s leading international energy organisations also made important contributions throughout day one, leveraging their unique experiences with global cooperation and energy diplomacy to outline the collective efforts required to accelerate wide-scale decarbonisation in every corner of the world.

Brian Sullivan, CEO, IPIECA, said “Our industry has the skills, expertise and experience to address the issues surrounding the energy transition, and we must bring together our drive to enhance the environmental and social performance of oil and gas, integrating energy transition with sustainable development.” 

The new Finance and Investment Conference provided a platform for leaders from government, finance, and energy to discuss the disparity between capital flows and the investment necessary for a fair and equitable transition. This was summarised in a panel on “Bridging the gap: energy and financial cross-sector collaboration to advance new projects”, by Reinhard Florey, CFO, OMV: 

“There are specific energy solutions for which we need capital. However, there is also an extended value system that we need capital support on. These extended networks, such as infrastructure, need to be built, and we encourage lenders to consider this opportunity. It takes a lot of specialist know-how to make the technology work, but it also takes the right infrastructure.” 

AI remained a critical focus of ADIPEC 2024, as this year’s event featured the all-new AI Zone, where industry experts and business leaders showcased the technology’s power to revolutionise energy systems, enhance grid resilience and unlock new investment opportunities.

With AI set to play a critical role in our energy future, ADIPEC will serve a critical platform for accelerating investment and collaboration around this transformative solution, building on 40 years of fostering innovation and sustainable progress in the global energy transition.

Register to visit ADIPEC: https://bit.ly/3NSnoOh