French firms eye Gulf's $1.68bn smart grid by 2026
France will take center stage at Middle East Energy 2025, one of the region's influential trade events dedicated to the global energy industry, from April 7 to 9, 2025. With a French Fab pavilion hosting 19 companies, France will present concrete solutions tailored to the modernization, security, and sustainability needs of today's energy infrastructure.
This participation, organized by Business France, reflects France's long-standing industrial expertise and commitment to supporting the Gulf region's energy transition, in alignment with the UAE's ambitions for sustainable development and infrastructure modernization.
Major Opportunities and Strategic Investments to Support Energy Transition
To meet the growing energy demand, Gulf countries plan to increase their installed capacity through massive investments in new electrical infrastructure. Among the most significant projects, the electrical interconnection between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Oman represents a major step forward. With a budget exceeding $700 million, this project aims to directly connect the GCC's interconnected grid to Oman, ensuring increased transmission capacity and reduced operational costs.
On the other hand, the smart grid market is rapidly expanding and is expected to reach $1.68 billion by 2026 in the Gulf region. At the same time, the development of renewable energy, energy consumption optimization, and the construction of sustainable cities have become top priorities across the region.
These developments present major new opportunities for French companies, whose expertise in these key sectors is widely recognised.
France - UAE: A Strategic and sustainable Energy Partnership
Both countries are entering a new phase of their strategic alliance, following high-level visits in early 2025:
The visit of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to Paris last February, 2025
The official visit of Laurent Saint-Martin, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, to the UAE on February 20–21, 2025
These diplomatic milestones reinforced the Comprehensive Strategic Energy Partnership launched in 2022 and gave fresh momentum to bilateral cooperation in energy, trade, and innovation. A cornerstone of this partnership is the agreement between Masdar (UAE) and TotalEnergies (France) to accelerate access to clean energy in Southeast Asia and Africa, an initiative underscoring both countries' shared vision for global sustainable development.
With bilateral trade reaching €8.5 billion in 2024, the UAE remains France's top trading partner in the MENA region. Energy remains a key pillar of this dynamic relationship, supported by growing collaboration across new sectors including AI, smart mobility, and green hydrogen.
French Delegation: Tailored Solutions for Energy Challenges
As energy systems in the MENA region evolve, the French Pavilion will spotlight innovative and resilient solutions designed to support the shift towards secure, digital, and low-carbon infrastructures. Key areas of expertise include:
With solutions aligned to the region's most urgent priorities such as grid resilience, energy efficiency, renewables integration, and smart city development, the French delegation stands ready to contribute to the GCC's long-term energy goals. -TradeArabia News Service
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