The opening day welcomed over 1000 high-profile attendees, with a lineup of distinguished international speakers and representation from a number of regional municipalities.
Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, November 27, 2024: Under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, RAK Energy Summit 2024 kicked off today at the Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center in Ras Al Khaimah, with high-profile attendees from the UAE and around the world.
The Summit and exhibition, hosted by Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, opened with a keynote speech by HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, who said: “Energy is central to our lives and our economy and, without it, we can neither survive nor thrive. It is, therefore, imperative that we build a future in which energy is readily available, reliable, affordable, and, crucially, sustainable.
“In Ras Al Khaimah, we are making our Emirate sustainable in every sense of the word. We recognise that energy is the essential enabler of this transformation, and we aspire to be at the forefront of global developments in the future of a sustainable energy sector.”
HE Munther Mohammed bin Shekar, Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, the host of the Summit, stated: “We extend our gratitude to our leadership, sponsors, partners, and guests for making the first day of RAK Energy Summit a success. This summit is an importantinitiative to drive the energy transition dialogue in the region, with a mission to inspire collaboration among international thought leaders and decision-makers. Together, we aim to position Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE, and the wider region at the forefront of global sustainable energy developments.”
The first day featured a keynote address by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure on the UAE Energy Strategy, followed by a keynote presentation by the COP28 Presidency on the role of finance to enable a just, equitable and orderly energy transition.
HE Eng Saif Ghubash, Assistant Undersecretary for Petroleum, Gas, and Mineral Resources at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said: “The UAE has always stepped up when it matters most. We were the first in the region to commit to net zero by 2050. This wasn’t just a pledge; it’s a promise to lead, innovate, and build a better, more sustainable future. To make this vision a reality, we updated the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 last year with bold new goals, as we committed to tripling the contribution of renewable energy in our energy mix, investing AED 200 billion by 2030, increasing the contribution of clean energy generation to 32% of our energy mix by 2030, boosting energy efficiency up to 45% by 2050, and achieving a grid emissions factor of 0.27 kg CO2/kWh, making the UAE one of the lowest emitters, compared to the global average.”
Tabreed’s Chief Executive Officer, Khalid Al Marzooqi, said: “The RAK Energy Summit is an extremely important event for Tabreed. It gives us the opportunity to interact directly with and engage with the country’s leaders, policymakers, and developers and make actionable decisions that help enable the progress of the Northern Emirates while reaping environmental and commercial benefits.”
Salwa Al Maflahi, Aldar’s Executive Director for Sustainability and Community Outreach, said: “At Aldar, sustainability is a core part of our business and informs how we operate and deliver a positive impact. We promote sustainable economic growth and support the UAE’s commitment to drive climate action as we progress towards our own 2050 net zero goal. We have a growing business in Ras Al Khaimah across the residential, hospitality, and retail sectors, and we fully support the leadership’s focus on sustainability in the emirate.”
Amel Chadli, President for Gulf Countries, Schneider Electric, said: “We are proud to have sponsored and participated in RAK Energy Summit 2024, which is a crucial platform for leaders to influence the direction of sustainable energy. The event certainly contributed to the important discourse on how artificial intelligence and digital technology can accelerate the energy transition, improve energy efficiency, and promote sustainable growth in cities, buildings, and businesses – in the UAE and across the globe.”
The opening day of the Summit welcomed several distinguished speakers, including HE Yousif Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE), UAE; Dr. Mohammed Al Kalbani, Director General of Sustainable Energy at Oman’s Authority for Public Services Regulation; Eng. Salah Al Rashidi, Head of Safety Department at Kuwait Municipality and Zaki Mohammed, Director Sustainability Advisory, Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD)
Alongside executive panels, sessions featured discussions and presentations on two important themes: city-level approaches to the energy transition and sustainable mobility from companies such as RAK Ceramics, Marjan and UITP. The first day concluded with roundtable sessions led by the Arab Youth Center and Tabreed.
The Summit’s second day will see discussions on future fuels, future grids and decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries. HE Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, is expected to offer the federal government’s perspective on the energy transition and will be joined by prominent speakers and decision-makers, including HE Yousif Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE), HE Francesco La Camera, Director General of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). International keynote presentations will be delivered by Ahmed Ali Al-Ebrahim, CEO of the GCC Interconnection Authority, and Lucas Boehlé, Energy Efficiency Analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA), Paris.
Day 2 will also put the spotlight on Ras Al Khaimah’s plans for the energy transition. The day will feature the announcement of winners for the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure’s Energy Management Awards, celebrating excellence in energy management practices, and will conclude with a roundtable session led by the Advancing Net Zero Volunteering Team.
RAK Energy Summit 2024 is supported by Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) as the Lead Partner, the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and more than 15 local government entities in Ras Al Khaimah.
