
Middle East energy expands footprint as global innovation and battery tech take center stage
Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers technical sessions planned
Battery Show conference to probe future of MENA's EV and battery market
More than 150 regional and international experts in speaker line-up
Dubai, UAE: The 49th edition of Middle East Energy (MEE), which shapes the energy sector in the region and Africa, will upscale industry insights as it more than doubles its conference tracks, expanding from three to six for 2025. Organised by Informa Markets, MEE 2025 will run from April 7-9 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and its conference series will bring together over 150 energy leaders and experts from across the region and the globe to explore innovative solutions and transformative sector advancements.
Joining the track line-up are the Global Innovation and Africa Business Leaders Forums, Technical Seminar sessions, by the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Battery Show Conference. They will run alongside the already established MEE Leadership Summit, and the Intersolar and ees Middle East Conference.
"Middle East Energy has always been a catalyst for progress, and our 2025 edition will raise the bar with an unmatched depth of insights and knowledge-sharing opportunities," said Mark Ring, Group Director, Energy Events at Informa Markets. "With six dedicated conference tracks and the addition of pivotal new forums, we are offering a comprehensive agenda that will empower stakeholders to navigate the rapidly evolving energy landscape."
Increased Forum Line-Up Aimed at Fostering Economic Growth
The newly launched Global Innovation Forum is designed to connect investors, corporate mentors, and energy innovators to serve as a gateway for emerging technologies, with exclusive investor networking and scale-up showcases. The Forum will gather a network of private equity firms, venture capitalists, angel investors, family offices, corporations, and innovative startups and scale-ups focused on energy solutions. Together they will spotlight the critical investments required to catalyse the innovation ecosystem and propel the growth of startups and scale-ups in the energy sector.
Catalina Valentino, Group CEO of London-based ELIXR, which is developing ecosystem technologies to address critical urban challenges including data and energy, will address the Forum. She commented: "Our technology is designed to unlock real-time insights which are used to enhance energy performance and urban resilience, ensuring smarter, more sustainable cities for the future like how we are unlocking £1bn of development value in Bolton through data-driven regeneration."
The Africa Business Leaders Forum will gather regional and global stakeholders to explore investment strategies, financial innovations, and collaborative energy projects between the continent and the Middle East. Discussions will highlight strategies to mobilise capital and drive energy development across the continent.
The IEEE Technical Sessions will offer a high-level knowledge-sharing environment where industry practitioners and academics discuss power grids, energy storage, and cybersecurity advancements. 'We are excited to bring together thought leaders from around the world to facilitate a dynamic exchange between academia and industry, where cutting-edge research meets real-world applications, driving impactful progress in the power and energy sector," said Dr. Yasmin Halawani, Chair of IEEE CASS/SSCS/PELS - UAE Section and Assistant Professor at the College of Engineering and IT, University of Dubai. "Through conferences, workshops, and training sessions, IEEE fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration across different fields and supports the professional development of individuals in both academia and industry. It provides a platform for keeping both communities updated on the latest trends and technologies."
MENA's EV and Battery Market Probe
With the launch of The Battery Show & Conference, MEE 2025 will spotlight one of the fastest-growing sectors in energy—electric mobility and battery storage. The conference will delve into emerging technologies, supply chain developments, and investment opportunities in the EV and battery sectors.
'Electrification and battery technologies are reshaping the automotive and energy sectors globally. The Battery Show Middle East will provide an unparalleled opportunity for experts and businesses to stay ahead of the curve," said Ken Hoffman, Senior Advisor to McKinsey—Battery Raw Materials.
Middle East Energy is bringing an extensive roster of speakers, including policymakers, corporate executives, and technical innovators for the conference series. The agenda features keynote panels, technical deep-dives, and interactive sessions that tackle the most pressing energy challenges.
Middle East Energy 2025, which is held under the patronage of the UAE's Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, will feature upwards of 1,600 exhibitors from over 90 countries as well as 17 international pavilions and is expected to attract a visitor turnout of more than 40,000 energy professionals.
To find out more about The Battery Show Middle East, visit https://www.middleeast-energy.com/en/the-battery-show.html
To find out more about Middle East Energy, visit:
https://www.middleeast-energy.com/en/home.html
For more information on the invite-only Hosted Buyer Programme, visit:
https://www.middleeast-energy.com/en/forms/hosted-buyer-programme.html
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Middle East Eye
14 hours ago
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Instead, there is an air of defeatism and insecurity, stemming from the belief that the war for western public opinion has been lost - a sentiment reinforced by daily images of Israel's campaign of deliberate mass destruction across the Gaza Strip. What Israel craves and desperately needs is not simply military prowess, but legitimacy in the public domain. And this is sorely lacking across virtually every demographic worldwide. Follow Middle East Eye's live coverage of the Israel-Palestine war It is why Israel is spending at least $150m this year alone on "public diplomacy". Get ready for an army of influencers, wined and dined in Tel Aviv's restaurants and bars, to sell the virtues of Israeli democracy. Even pro-Israel journalists are beginning to question how this money is being spent, wishing Israeli PR were more responsive and effective. Gaza flotilla: The Madleen shows us the world as it could be Read More » Today, Israeli Jews proudly back ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza in astoundingly high numbers. This reflects a Jewish supremacist mindset that is being fed a daily diet of extremist rhetoric in mainstream media. There is arguably no other western country with such a high proportion of racist, genocidal mania permeating public discourse. According to a recent poll of western European populations, Israel is viewed unfavourably in Germany, Denmark, France, Italy and Spain. Very few in these countries support Israeli actions. Only between 13 and 21 percent hold a positive view of Israel, compared to 63-70 percent who do not. The US-backed Pew Research Centre also released a global survey asking people in 24 countries about their views on Israel and Palestine. In 20 of the 24 nations, at least half of adults expressed a negative opinion of the Jewish state. A deeper reckoning Beyond Israel's image problems lies a deeper question: can it ever expect full acceptance in the Middle East? Apart from kings, monarchs and elites from Dubai to Riyadh and Manama to Rabat, Israel's vicious and genocidal actions since 7 October 2023 have rendered "normalisation" impossible with a state intent on building a Jewish theocracy that subjugates millions of Arabs indefinitely. While it is true that most states in the region are undemocratic, with gross human rights abuses a daily reality, Israel has long claimed to be different - "the only democracy in the Middle East". But Israel's entire political system, built with massive western support and grounded in an unsustainable racial hierarchy, precludes it from ever being fully and formally integrated into the region. The American journalist Murtaza Hussain, writing for the US outlet Drop Site News, recently published a perceptive essay on this very subject. He argues that Israeli actions have been so vile and historically grave - comparable to other modern holocausts - that they cannot be forgotten or excused, especially as they are publicly carried out with the explicit goal of ethnically cleansing Palestine: "This genocide has been a political and cultural turning point beyond which we cannot continue as before. I express that with resignation rather than satisfaction, as it means that many generations of suffering are ahead on all sides. Ultimately, the goal of Israel's opponents must not be to replicate its crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, nor to indulge in nihilistic hatred for its own sake. People in the region and beyond should work to build connections with those Israelis who are committed opponents of their regime, and who are ready to cooperate in the generational task of building a new political architecture." The issue is not just Netanyahu and his government. All his likely successors hold similarly hardline views on Palestinian rights and self-determination. The monumental task ahead lies in crafting an alternative to today's toxic Jewish theocracy. But this rebuilding must also take place in the West. Far too many Jews, conservatives and evangelical Christians continue to cling to the fantasy of eradicating, silencing or expelling Arabs from their land entirely. Pushing back against this fascism is one of the most urgent generational tasks of our time. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.