Renewable energy remains at core of GCC's long-term energy and sustainability strategy

DUBAI, UAE: OGS 2009, the 16th edition of the premier oil, gas, renewable energy and automation event, has launched the Alter Energy Convention 2009 as a conference-led exhibition dedicated to the management of carbon and water footprints in the Middle East using alternative energies.

The Alter Energy Convention 2009 will be held Oct. 27-29 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and aims to leverage the increasing role of renewable energy in the long-term strategy of GCC countries, as several billion dollars worth of projects have been earmarked to enable the energy supply to keep pace with the rate of economic development.

The Convention will focus on how alternative energies can reduce carbon footprints while meeting growing energy needs.

Statistics from the Emirates Energy Award have revealed that between $160 to $200 billion will be invested across the GCC in various energy projects, including several projects in renewable energy resources such as solar, wind and hydrogen.

In Abu Dhabi alone, a total of $15 billion in renewable investments have been launched, aiming not just to develop conventional renewable energy sources but also to focus on carbon reduction and management, sustainable development, education, manufacturing and research and development.

Numerous initiatives in the Middle East, such as the MASDAR Initiative and the Mediterranean Solar Plan, have also put renewable energies and green technology investment high on public and private sector agendas.

Anselm Godinho, managing director, International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), the organizers of OGS, said: "Renewable energy continues to account for a small fraction of the total energy resources of the region and around the world. At the same time, new technologies are allowing industry the leeway to become more productive while being greener.

"There are many possibilities and opportunities in renewable fuels, sustainable energy and green technology, and it is the intention of the Convention to create the ideal platform to cultivate new ideas and promote business-to-business activities.

"The Alter Energy Convention is the event where international experts, regional decision-makers and suppliers of ‘green’ technology and renewable energy infrastructure meet and debate the relative merits of alternative energies versus fossil fuels from both a business and ethical vantage point."

The Alter Energy Convention is being held in conjunction with OGS 2009, which will feature its traditional oil and gas focus, as well as offer a trading platform for automation, industrial, infrastructural and manufacturing and process control technologies. OGS 2009 will be held concurrently with the Emiratization Forum 2009, which invites senior HR leaders to interact with public and private sector policy-shapers on the benefits of Emiratization.

The event will also be co-located with the Engineering Careers Expo 2009 and the Excellence in Engineering Forum 2009, where young engineers will meet with industry leaders to secure employment and internship opportunities.