ACWA Power highlights its role in the sustainable development of the energy and water sectors at WEC 2019 in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 10 September 2019: His Excellency Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the Saudi Minister of Energy, toured the Saudi pavilion during the first day of the 24th edition of the World Energy Congress (WEC). The flagship event is being held in Abu Dhabi for the first time in the Middle East, from the 9th to 12th of September in Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
ACWA Power, a global leader in water desalination and power generation joined over 15,000 attendees and 66 ministers at this year’s World Energy Congress (WEC) to highlight ACWA Power’s position as a global total solution provider across the power and water sectors.
On the sidelines of the Congress, ACWA Power signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), inaugurating the KAUST – ACWA Power Center of Excellence for Desalination and Solar Power. The KAUST – ACWA Power Center of Excellence will prioritize research in water quality monitoring and system performance modelling using several KAUST research centers.
The collaboration between ACWA Power and KAUST marks the beginning of a long-term research and innovation alliance between the two organizations that will place the Kingdom at the forefront of international scientific advancements in water desalination and solar-power technology.
To share ACWA Power’s expertise with fellow industry leaders, Mr. Mohammad Abunayyan took part in a panel session titled “Financing Energy: Closing the clean energy investment gap”. Similarly, Paddy Padmanathan, President and CEO of ACWA Power, participated in a panel discussion on “Scaling new heights: Global Renewables Outlook” which addressed the opportunities, challenges, and solutions to the most 
pressing energy issues the world faces today.
As part of its participation at the World Energy Congress 2019, ACWA Power elaborated on its role as a fully integrated solutions provider for the power and water sector worldwide. This includes the deployment of renewable energy technologies such as concentrated solar power and thermal storage technology as well as clean coal and carbon capture. The company also highlighted its work in the sustainable development of countries around the world and its program to invests in enhancing the local employment and talents in the communities it operates in.
ACWA Power has been an active supporter and partner for the World Energy Council that host the World Energy Congress. The World Energy Congress is one of the world’s largest and longest-running, international energy related event. This edition will mark the first time the Congress has been hosted in the Middle East, and it offers a unique platform for global energy leaders to explore new energy futures, critical innovation areas and new strategies.