Masdar Initiative, a multifaceted effort intended to diversify the Abu Dhabi economy and provide long-term job creation for its growing population. As part of the initiative, the gov- ernment established the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, known as Masdar; in 2008, Masdar hosted the first WFES. WFES 2008 was a mostly regional, 5,000-attendee event.
“When we started, it was like, are you guys serious about this?” said Rashed Obaid Al Dhaheri, head of special projects for Masdar, acknowledging that some people questioned the legitimacy of a renewable-energy event hosted by and held in an oil-rich capital. But Masdar made international headlines at that first show by announcing major investments in local and international wind-, solar-, and other clean-energy proj- ects. The following year, Abu Dhabi won its bid to host the permanent headquarters for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), pledging $50 million in annual loans to finance renewable-energy projects in developing countries.
‘THE TIME IS HERE. THE TIME IS NOW.’ While WFES has grown every year since its inception, this year’s show announced Abu Dhabi’s arrival on the green scene in a big way. WFES 2013 was held under the umbrella of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week — five days and six events dedicated to renewable energy, including the International Water Summit (IWS), which co-located with WFES. Over the course of three days, WFES and IWS drew 29,448 attendees from 155 countries to ADNEC — a 37-per- cent increase in foreign participation. WFES’s rising prominence was evidenced by the many foreign dignitaries and high-ranking policymakers in atten- dance. The first day’s opening ceremony was attended by the prime minister and vice president of the UAE, along with 91 official delegations from across the globe. In addition to Sheikh Mohammed’s keynote speech, there were remarks by French President Francois Hollande, Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, and Jordan’s Queen Rania
— all calling for increased cooperation among nations and deeper investment in renewable energy. “If we don’t act, we can be sure we will have a catastrophe very soon,” Hollande said. “We are sharing the same preoccupations, but we also need to share the same ambitions. We shouldn’t waste time anymore. We should act, gather together, and gather our forces and resources.”
“This is our opportunity to work together,” said Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, “to commit to real action, to innovate and strike a balance crucial to building a sustainable future. The time is here. The time is now.”
OIL, OIL EVERYWHERE Once the opening ceremony was finished, the exhibit hall took center stage. (The conference began on day two.) In the show’s vast, 130,000-square-foot space, 650 exhibitors from 40 countries showcased the latest in solar and wind energy,
72 PCMA CONVENE APRIL 2013
‘The world must work together to address energy and water access, food security, and the consequences of climate change.’
desalination pumps, smart grids, waste and water manage- ment, energy storage, clean technology, and energy-efficient innovations. Amid this sea of green suppliers and vendors stood big oil,
on very big display. The largest and most elaborate booths on the convention floor belonged to the world’s leading oil companies, including the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Shell, ExxonMobil, and the French giant Total — all of them platinum sponsors of WFES 2013. The oil companies’ booths highlighted their own efforts to be more energy effi- cient as well as their investments in sustainable practices and projects. Masdar and Total, for example, have partnered to build one
of the world’s largest concentrated solar-power plants. Located in the western region of Abu Dhabi, the Shams-1 plant is the first of its kind in the Middle East and eventually will generate enough power for 20,000 homes. A model of Shams-1 was on display at the Masdar booth, along with a large model of the London Array, an offshore wind farm that Masdar is building in partnership with e-on, a U.K. oil and gas company. Deeper in the exhibit hall, exhibitors were grouped both
by country and by sector, and the breadth of technologies and products on display highlighted the enormity of a topic as broad as “future energy.” Booths featured everything from an enclosed electric motorbike that can reach speeds of 155 mph, to municipal waste-treatment solutions, large-scale desalination pumps, and portable solar panels for mobile bat- tery charging. Deeper still, in the U.S. pavilion, stood John Buckey, presi-
dent of Toledo, Ohio–based Xunlight. The company, which produces flexible, lightweight solar panels, was a first-time exhibitor. Buckey said he was there to target clients and build relationships with potential distributors. Xunlight’s booth had seen “pretty good” activity, but Buckey wasn’t sure if the size of the show was a hindrance and if his company might
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