Tuesday 27 May 2025
Wednesday 28 May 2025
14:00 - 14:30
Decarbonising the future: preparing utilities for a clean energy transition
Panel discussion
As the global energy transition accelerates, utilities are under pressure to become the backbone of a renewables driven and net-zero future. With demand rising across cities, industries, and agriculture, utilities are racing to integrate large-scale renewables, modernise infrastructure, and decarbonise both power and water systems. This session will explore how utilities are scaling solar, wind, hydro embedding storage, optimising desalination and wastewater treatment, and leveraging digital tools to manage the energy-water nexus. From enabling low-carbon grids to supporting sustainable water cycles, utilities are now at the heart of building a climate-resilient, net-zero world.
Panelist:
Khalid Bin Hadi
MD
Siemens Energy UAE
Shailendra Pratap Singh
VP – GCC, Europe & Americas
Ducab
Moderator:
Raul Timponi
Head of EMEA Power & Renewables Consulting
S&P Global Commodity Insights
14:30 - 14:50
Innovation showcase
14:50 - 15:10
Innovation showcase
15:10 - 15:40
What’s next for nuclear energy: a new era of innovation?
Panel discussion
As the world advances towards net-zero targets, nuclear energy is once again coming to the fore not only as a reliable source of baseload power, but also as a platform for innovation. This session will discuss the emergence of next-generation technologies such as SMRs and advanced reactors, their role in supporting decarbonisation, and the policy developments shaping their deployment. Discover how nuclear is set to play a transformative role in the future energy mix.
Panelist:
Milo Alani
GM & Business Director – MENA
Framatome
Rashed Essa Al Falahi
General Manager, Government Affairs
Federal Authority of Nuclear Regulation, UAE
Moderator:
Dr. Yacine Addad
Chairman, Associate Department in Nuclear Engineering and Deputy Director
Emirates Nuclear Technology Center - Khalifa University
15:40 - 16:00
Innovation showcase
16:00 - 16:20
Fireside chat
16:20 - 16:40
Innovation showcase
10:30 - 10:50
From research to real-world impact: how new sensing technologies support utilities
Innovation showcase
As the utilities sector faces mounting pressure to enhance efficiency, reliability, and sustainability, the market for advanced sensing technologies is expanding at a rapid pace. These innovations are transforming how utilities monitor infrastructure, manage resources, and respond to challenges in real time. Bridging the gap between research and operational deployment, sensing technologies are playing a critical role in enabling smarter grids, optimizing performance, and improving customer outcomes. This session will delve into how cutting-edge research is being translated into real-world impact, helping utilities stay ahead in an increasingly complex and dynamic environment.
Speaker:
Dr. Felix Vega
Chief Researcher of the Directed Energy Research Center
TII
10:50 - 11:10
Innovation showcase
11:10 - 11:30
Storage as a transmission asset in the grid of the future: usage and business cases of BESS
Case study
As electricity grids grapple with the growing integration of wind and solar power, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are emerging as a critical solution. This session explores how BESS addresses grid challenges, ranging from voltage and frequency instability to capacity constraints like curtailment and congestion. Beyond their proven role in ancillary services such as frequency regulation, modern BESS technologies offer a flexible, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional infrastructure. Join us to examine the evolving business cases for storage as a transmission asset and its transformative impact on grid resilience.
Speaker:
Dr. Sankara Subramanian
Utility Market Leader
Saft Batteries - Total Energies
11:30 - 11:50
Innovation showcase
11:50 - 12:20
Renewable-powered desalination for sustainable water supply
Panel discussion
As global water demand rises and climate change exacerbates scarcity, desalination has become a critical solution for securing freshwater supplies. However, traditional desalination is energy-intensive and often reliant on fossil fuels, raising environmental and economic concerns. With technological advancements and the growing availability of clean energy, the integration of renewables into desalination systems is gaining momentum. This session will bring together leaders in water, energy, and infrastructure to explore how solar, wind, and other renewable sources are being harnessed to power desalination sustainably. From large-scale utility projects to decentralised innovations, experts will explore the policy, financial, and technological frameworks needed to scale renewable-powered desalination and ensure long-term water security.
Panelist:
Latifa Lahsine
Head of Desalination CoE & Deputy Head Engineering and Technical Support
Engie
Moderator:
Dr. Corrado Sommariva
CEO
Sustaianble Water Power Consultants
12:20 - 12:40
Accelerating renewables for resilient utilities
Project showcase
The market for renewable energy in Saudi Arabia is rapidly expanding as the Kingdom works toward its goal of 50% renewables by 2030 under the National Renewable Energy Program. This session will showcase key projects driving the growth of solar and wind energy, replacing liquid fuels, and reducing fossil fuel dependence. Experts will explore how these initiatives are transforming Saudi Arabia’s energy mix, supporting environmental goals, and fostering a low-carbon, future-ready utility sector.
12:40 - 13:00
Innovation showcase
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch & Networking
14:00 - 14:20
Innovation showcase
14:20 - 14:40
Innovation showcase
14:40 - 15:10
Shaping smarter cities: district cooling and the future of utility innovation
Panel discussion
As urban populations grow and cities transition into intelligent ecosystems, the demand for integrated, efficient, and low-carbon infrastructure is surging. District energy systems are emerging as the foundation of smart urban design, optimising cooling demand, integrating with renewable energy, reducing peak loads, and unlocking long-term cost and emissions savings. But technology alone isn’t enough. Policy frameworks, regulatory incentives, and coordinated urban planning are crucial to scale adoption and ensure alignment with national sustainability targets. This session brings together utility leaders, regulators, and innovators to explore how district energy system is powering the next generation of smart cities, where infrastructure is smarter, energy is cleaner, and growth is built to last.
Panelist:
Dr. Yousif Al Hammadi
Chief Asset Management Officer
Tabreed
15:10 - 15:30
Computation on the grid edge and substation automation
Innovation showcase
The session will explore cloud-based OT device management to improve substation visibility. It addresses challenges like integrating legacy devices, enhancing data collection, and enabling remote control through edge computing. The presented solution virtualizes hardware, supports remote deployment of applications, and uses AI/ML at the edge for OT data analysis. Key benefits include faster rollout of new use cases, reduced maintenance costs and time, fewer field interventions, and increased IT/OT system resilience and overall, it promotes a secure, efficient, and unified infrastructure for modern energy systems.
Speaker:
Tiziano Modotti
ePhygital Product Division Manager
Minsait
15:30 - 15:50
Innovation showcase
15:50 - 16:10
Innovation showcase
16:10 - 16:30
