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Day 3 of Middle East Energy centered on the human story behind the transition, bringing together industry leaders, young innovators and policymakers for candid conversations on what’s next for global energy.
The day opened with “Powered by Her,” an inD Energy initiative, backed by the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, dedicated to building a global women-in-energy community where today’s leaders help shape tomorrow’s. The morning began with a networking session that drew a packed room of professionals from across the industry, followed by a panel discussion including the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, Rwanda Energy Group, CIGRE Egypt, Dentons, and African Export-Import Bank.
For her advice to upcoming women leaders in energy, Eng. Mozah Al Nuaimi, Chief AI Officer, Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, UAE said: “The power is ours to take. If you want to lead something, just go ahead and lead it. If you want to share your point of view, just say it politely as much as you can. If there is a wall, just hit it with a hammer. And keep investing in yourself – you are never too old to learn and move forward.”
Elsewhere, the Technical Excellence Forum stage was taken by young engineers driving the energy transition forward, in a panel discussion titled “Generation Grid: The Engineers Who Will Decide Whether the Energy Transition Succeeds or Fails,” chaired by Eng. Aaesha Alnaqbi, Electrical Engineer, MOEI Youth Council Member, Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, UAE
The Global Innovation Hub, a curated arena at Middle East Energy, brought together real innovators and breakthrough technologies across smart grids, storage, hydrogen and digital energy solutions. The innovation challenge featured four finalists, each delivering a 4-minute pitch followed by a brief Q&A from the judges panel. The challenge was won by Monic Nnaedozie, COO of Solaristique, whose company combines cutting-edge solar technologies in Nigeria with eco-friendly cooling solutions to help homes, businesses and communities transition to cleaner energy, with a circular approach that ensures nothing goes to waste.
Innovation on the show floor was matched by tangible deals signed on-site. Union Iron & Steel (UIS), a leading UAE manufacturer of steel reinforcement bars, and Yellow Door Energy, the official Sustainable Energy Partner for Middle East Energy, have signed a solar lease for a 1.9 MWp rooftop solar power plant at UIS’s manufacturing facility in ICAD I, part of KEZAD in Abu Dhabi. The project will comprise approximately 3,000 solar panels installed across 15,000 square metres of rooftop space. Once operational, it is expected to generate approximately 3 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity in its first year and avoid more than 930,000 kilograms of carbon emissions annually. Construction is scheduled to begin in Q4 2026, with completion expected by summer 2027.
Key exhibitors showcased innovative products across the show floor. Trina Storage, a global energy storage solutions provider and a business unit of Trina Solar, launched its ‘Elementa + Electra’ solution for the first time in the Middle East. The integrated DC + AC utility-scale energy storage solution combines the latest DC battery system, Elementa 3, with a 6.25 MWh capacity, and the 13.8 MVA AC platform Electra. According to Jack Chen, Head of Energy Storage at Trina Solar, the focus is on providing utilities and developers with integrated solutions that combine performance, reliability and flexibility to support long-term development of energy storage across the region.
Ducab Metals Business (DMB), a Ducab Group subsidiary, presented its High Temperature Low Sag conductors, which help utilities carry more electricity through existing corridors while improving efficiency, delivering up to a 14% reduction in transmission losses compared with conventional solutions, DMB said.
Supporting AI’s growth also means powering it responsibly. Riello UPS is showcasing its power protection solutions, built for the demands of mission-critical data centre environments and supporting business continuity and efficient energy use as data infrastructure scales.
Other key exhibitors focused on efficiency and innovation, including Kirloskar, AE Solar, TE Connectivity, Emirates Transformer, and TBEA.
Other sessions throughout the day explored grid cybersecurity, financing Africa’s power future, and the scale-up of EV infrastructure in the UAE.
The third day of Middle East Energy also turned its focus to Africa during the Africa Spotlight, highlighting the continent’s enormous power potential and ongoing development in its energy sector, and exclusively announcing an event expansion to Africa Energy, due to take place in South Africa in 2027.
Day 3 made clear that the region’s energy transition is being shaped not just by technology and infrastructure, but by the people, partnerships and ideas driving it forward.
“Obviously, the show has grown from when we first started coming over 30 years ago. For us, it’s a very important show for showcasing our products in this market. Even though we have a very strong and well-known brand name, and we’ve been here for 40 years. As a company and as a brand, it’s always important to keep your name in front of the market and not become complacent.
This is an important market for us as well. If you’re focusing on the UAE, it’s about showing that there is business here and there is business. Demand for our products is now very high, and that demand is continuing to grow.” said Michael Ballard, International Sales Director, Marshall-Tufflex, a company with 80 years of British engineering excellence, delivering innovative, high-performance cable management solutions for modern power, data and infrastructure needs.
Middle East Energy’s 50th edition welcomed exhibitors from the Middle East region and across the globe, spanning more than 70 countries, including key regions such as Africa, India, China and Europe. It showcased its true place at the epicentre of the global energy industry.