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World Future Energy Summit Kicks off in Abu Dhabi
The UAE flag flies over "heritage village" - a recreation of older times as modernity looms in the distance[/caption]
It's that time of year again - when global thought leaders and politicians descend upon the desert emirate of Abu Dhabi to discuss the future of energy and all that relates to it. The World Future Energy Summit begins tomorrow and I'll be here to cover it.
This year's theme ‘Powering Sustainable Innovation,’ will manifest in both a high-level conference and enormous trade show exhibition, with companies from all over the world promoting their latest products and services. From giant corporations like ExxonMobil and General Electric to scrappy solar startups, renewably minded and not, they're all here.
Highlights to come:
Progress at Masdar City - Hot on the heels of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, our blogger delegation had a full afternoon to explore the growing Masdar city - a nearly self-sustaining eco-tropolis in the Abu Dhabi desert. Among the more exciting developments is a commitment by Siemens to locate their regional headquarters at the city.
Ban Ki Moon and other dignitaries - A star studded opening ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow featuring the UN Secretary General and numerous other heads of state, not the least of which is Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
The Zayed Future Energy Price - If it's half as exciting as last year, this annual bestowal of gratitude upon real sustainability thought leaders will not disappoint.
The world's largest solar powered ship - The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar has been on the move, over 20,000 miles in fact. It will visit Abu Dhabi during the summit and we'll be taking a short tour of the ship on Thursday.
Stay tuned!
* Disclosure - 3p's trip to Abu Dhabi was covered by MasdarNick Aster is the founder of TriplePundit. Prior to launching 3p, Nick worked for Mother Jones magazine, successfully re-launching the magazine's online presence. He worked for TreeHugger.com, managing the technical side of the publication for 3 years, and has also been an active consultant for individuals and companies entering the world of micro-publishing. He also worked for Gawker Media and Moreover Technologies in the early days of blogging. Nick holds an MBA in sustainable management from the Presidio School of Management and graduated with a BA in History from Washington University in St. Louis.
